A GROUNDBREAKING development has earned the praise of national and local educational, employment and environmental bosses for its sustainable approach.

They say the proposed scheme will boost training and employment prospects and offer unheralded research opportunities for students while leading the way in environmentally-sustainable schemes.

The scheme at Wynyard Park is aimed at stimulating growth, creating jobs and bringing together work, leisure and housing in an eco-friendly environment.

Developers say the scheme’s carbon footprint is a giant step towards achieving sustainable solutions to new developments and ties in with both local and national Government guidelines.

Carbon-footprint reduction is an integral part of the massive scheme which will feature a community-heating system subject to an element of housing being involved in the development.

It has now won the praise of the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) and the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (Semta) for its visionary approach.

Semta believes the ambitious scheme will be a massive boost for employment in the engineering, construction, sustainable energy and health fields.