A BUSINESS park which could bring 2,500 jobs to Worcester and £450 million of investment has been given the go-ahead.

Warndon Business Park can now be built next to Worcestershire Royal Hosp- ital on land south of Newtown Road.

The city council approved the plans for the 46,000 square metre business park in April 2005 but the development has been delayed by a row over where the entrance should be. Members of Worcester City Council planning committee have reluctantly agreed that the access could go in Newtown Road - they had wanted it in Nunnery Way but the county council said the proposal was unsafe.

They made their decision after senior planning officers warned the developers could seek compensation if they stalled the plans.

Councillors remain worried about congestion in Newtown Road which serves the Worcestershire Royal.

They say things could get even worse if the old Ronkswood Hospital site is developed in the next 10 years.

Coun Mike Layland, who voted against the Newtown Road access, said: "We're being told if we don't agree to this it's going to cost us a lot of money so you had better shut your mouth and get on with it.

"We haven't started to develop the old Ronkswood Hospital site. This will cause further blockage."

Coun David Tibbutt said the entrance would be better in Nunnery Way with a 50mph speed limit and a slip road from the business park.

He said: "We're being bulldozed into making a decision which is absolutely outrageous."

Karen Hanchett, development control manager at the county council, said a signalled junction in Nunnery Way, as city planners suggested, would not be safe and there was no room for a new roundabout.

Pegasus Planning Group, which represents the landowners Spetchley Estate, claims the new business park could create 2,500 jobs and bring £450 million of investment to the region.

Speaking after the meeting Mervyn Dobson, a partner for Pegasus, said the site could be used by high-tech industries, possibly for IT or pharmaceutical companies to supply the nearby hospital.

The site will now be sold either to a single high-tech developer or 10 to 15 smaller businesses.