WORK on improving roads  around the proposed Exeter Science Park development can begin after a planning agreement  was reached.

Devon County Council has  won the go ahead to carry on  with £18m  of infrastructure  works near junction 29 of the  M5.

This includes a number of  improvements at the junction,  including a new traffic signal  junction with the A30, additional lanes on the north and southbound  slip roads, and bus lanes  on the A30 to the motorway  junction.

Another £5.5m  is being invested by the county council on  major new transport links  between Exeter and a number of  big  developments to the east of  the city, which includes a highway network for the Science  Park and a pedestrian and cycle  bridge over the M5 to connect to  the Exeter cycle network.

The outline planning application for the Science Park was  submitted by Devon County  Council last July on behalf of  the Science Park Partnership.   The other partners are East  Devon District Council, Exeter  City Council, the Met Office,  South West Regional Development Agency and the University of Exeter.

Although the outline plans  were given the go-ahead by East  Devon District Council in  November, the approval was  subject to a number of legal  agreements which have now  been completed.

Cllr William Mumford,  the  county council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration,  said: “We’re delighted to have  achieved outline planning consent and this will provide the  launch pad to achieving what  will be a vital development for  the future economy of our  county.”

The county council’s deputy  leader John Clatworthy, who is  a board member of the new Science Park Company, said: “We  welcome this  decision because  we can now start in earnest on  laying the key foundations to  the Exeter Science Park.”

Outline consent has been  granted for a 76,450 square  metre science park and a  150-bedroom hotel and conference facility.

The space would predominantly be used for research and  development companies. It will  also feature a cafe, restaurant,  gym, retail and creche services  to support the science park.

It offers the potential to create  up to 3,700 jobs in its first 15-20  years. A full planning application is expected to be submitted at the end of this month.