A £1 million industrial development, which will breathe new life back into a derelict site, has received a significant cash boost.

Bracken Trade Park, located in Dumers Lane, Bury, has received £50,000 from Bury Council's Business Investment Programme (BIP).

The work, involving the construction of six industrial units, has been carried out by Bracken Ltd.

The development is centred on part of the former Bibby and Baron paper mill which closed down four years ago.

Bracken specialises in property development and the scheme in Bury has involved decontamination of the site, removal of three redundant substations, improvements to an existing surface water culvert, construction of the new units with car parking, landscaping and improvements to the river embankment.

Building work is now complete and the first two tenants have moved into units with a third company due to take up occupation soon.

The project has resulted in both increased business floor space and the creation of new jobs.

Neil Clark, joint managing director of Bracken Ltd, said: "The grant assistance from the BIP has been significant in enabling this project to go ahead and provide high quality, new industrial units to assist in the expansion of the local economy.

"We have concluded three lettings very quickly and have strong interest in the remaining three. We are delighted with the excellent level of demand."

Councillor Mike Connolly, Bury Council executive member for environment and transport, commented: "It is pleasing to see a derelict site being brought back into the local economy, improving the environment and creating employment."

The Business Investment Programme is an initiative by Bury Council in partnership with Groundwork Bury.

The scheme offers grants from the European Regional Development Fund to small and medium-sized local companies for the construction and expansion of existing business premises and refurbishment of derelict and/or vacant premises.

To apply for grants for up to 50 per cent of project costs, companies must be classed as small to medium enterprises, employ less than 250 people and the project must be located in Bury (except Redvales ward).

For more details on the BIP, contact Norman Dixon, business support adviser at Groundwork Bury, on 763 4185 or visit the website: www.burybusinessgrants.bury.gov.uk