THE new Selby bypass is to be extended to open up a massive area of prime industrial land, creating up to 1,000 jobs.

A new roundabout and link road costing £1.7 million will give access to 90 acres of employment land near the Potter Group, in Barlby Road.

The late addition to the £40 million bypass will be built midway between the new river bridge and the new A19 roundabout near Hazlewood Foods.

North Yorkshire County Council requested the extra roundabout and spur road as part of the bypass route to free up land that so far has been inaccessible.

The scheme was triggered by the Selby mines closure announcement.

Opening up new tracts of land for light industry and manufacturing is one of the top priorities for the Selby Coalfield Task Force, set up to minimise the economic and social impact of the mines' closure.

The so-called Potter Group roundabout and link road will be funded mainly by English Partnerships and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, with the county council and Selby District Council each contributing £100,000.

The 90 acres of land are owned by Potter Group and an organisation called Selby Farms.

Selby MP John Grogan said today: "This new roundabout and link road opens up the most important development site in Selby.

"The agreement to achieve this was long debated, but indicates that the task force is now delivering.

"The next goal is to develop a plan for the entire site, including land owned by BOCM-Pauls."

Selby council's economic development officer, Eileen Scothern, said the authority was delighted to have got the green light for the scheme.

She said new jobs were badly needed in Selby town where unemployment averaged five per cent, the highest in the district.

She said: "Jobs on the doorstep will also mean people don't have to travel to work, which will reduce traffic congestion.

"We now hope to bring the parties together to create a master plan to see how the site can be developed before submitting an application."

Updated: 15:09 Wednesday, June 18, 2003