Pictured above: CGI of Teal Park

A new business park which will be the largest in the Lincoln area has been given a boost by news that engineering giant Siemens is likely to relocate part of its business to the site.

Siemens has confirmed that it wants to move its turbine servicing department to purpose-built offices and workshops at Teal Park in North Hykeham near Lincoln.

If the relocation goes ahead 540 employees will be transferred from the company's city centre sites. The 900 employees in the new turbine business would not be affected.

The announcement is good news for Teal Park and for Lincoln itself - in October last year Siemens put plans to transfer all its operations to Teal Park site on ice pending a major restructure of the business.

But now, after 11 months of negotiations, Siemens says it is ready to press ahead with a smaller scale relocation.

Although a formal deal is yet to be struck, Siemens anticipates that building work on its new site will begin in the middle of next year and will be completed by summer 2012.

Teal Park, a major new 80-acre business park off the A46 bypass outside Lincoln, was given outline planning approval by North Kesteven District Council in July. 

A proposal to swap the two developmental phases, allowing land earmarked for smaller-scale businesses to be developed ahead of larger development on the site, was approved by planners last month.

Paul Wheatley, Head of Economic Regeneration Programmes at Lincolnshire County Council, said he was encouraged by Siemens' announcement.

"Lincolnshire County Council has had ongoing dialogue with Siemens on their potential part-relocation and is pleased that Teal Park remains their favoured site. 

"We welcome any relocation that retains the company within the area, due to their importance to our local economy, and will continue to support them however possible."

North Kesteven District Council Leader Councillor Marion Brighton, OBE said: "The development of Teal Park is a huge boost that ensures sufficient employment land in this key location within the district and adjacent to Lincoln for the next 10 to 15 years.

"Teal Park has a much broader strategic importance than just to the immediate Greater Lincoln area, but has the potential to provide for 4,000  jobs directly, in addition to those through the construction process, and to draw regional investment to the area.

"Quite apart from the delivery of great employment potential the significant road improvements allied to the application are to be welcomed in their own right." 

It is estimated that Teal Park has the potential to generate 4,000 new jobs and to act as a magnet for investment into the area.

The outline planning approval by North Kesteven District Council allows for the development of industrial, office and warehousing units as well as a pub and hotel on the site.