PARTNERS involved in plans for the Exeter Science Park have expressed their desire to push ahead with the scheme despite a senior figure at Devon County Council suggesting it was "currently paused".

As the Echo reported, concerns over whether the Government will pay £12million towards projects in the east of Exeter including improvements to junction 29 of the M5 led the county council to state that the scheme could face delays.

And, in an e-mail seen by the Echo, the county council's chief engineer claimed that the scheme — along with major improvements to junction 29 of the M5 — was "paused". This has now been refuted.

The science park is a 25-acre research and innovation park proposed for a site east of the M5, near junction 29 at Redhayes. More than 2,000 jobs are expected to be to be provided by the scheme, and hopes are high it will attract further businesses to the area, creating a further 6,000 skilled jobs.

A planning application for the park was approved in March on behalf of the Science Park Partnership, which includes the county council, Exeter City Council, East Devon District Council, the Met Office and the University of Exeter — and the detailed consent for the highway and utility infrastructure site was granted in June 2010.

A report before the county council on Wednesday, said: "The scheme to provide access to the east of Exeter developments is at the final full approval major scheme bid stage, is awaiting Government funding approval. The Government's decision to hold any decisions pending a spending review is delaying a start on site for this crucial project. The most direct impact of the delay is on the Exeter Science Park."

But partners involved in the scheme insist that funding for phase one of the science park was secure and the project could go ahead as planned. Phase one is due to include a hotel and conference facility and work had been due to start this summer.

Alan Douglas, representing the Met Office, as chairman of the Science Park Company Infrastructure Committee, said: "The most recent advice given is that the development of the infrastructure will be proceeding as expected."

Richard Ball, head of economy and tourism at Exeter City Council, said: "We are actively developing the science park and are confident that work will begin on site soon.

Sean Fielding, director of Research and Knowledge Transfer at Exeter University, said: "We are recruiting over 100 new scientists and the science park is a key part of the university's major plans for science investment."

In response, Devon County Council has said the remarks made by the council's chief engineer in the email were "incorrect" and Cllr John Clatworthy, deputy leader of the County Council and one of the Science Park board directors, said: "The improvements to Junction 29 of the M5 have been delayed but the Science Park and phase one can still progress before this is in place."