Fresh bid for hi-tech firm’s expansion

MDL Laser Systems – which operates across Europe, Africa and Asia – has submitted plans to expand its base at Northminster Business Park, to turn it into a world headquarters creating as many as 100 new jobs and generating a potential turnover of £30m.

The firm, which has been hailed as one of the success stories in the county’s ongoing attempts to cope with the decline of traditional industry and survive the economic storm, had outline planning permission for the scheme granted in March 2010.

The detailed plans, which it is resubmitting before a York Council planning committee on Thursday, have been recommended for approval.

MDL, which develops eye safe laser measurement technology used for measurement and navigation systems, says the proposed two-storey building would include a 200m long laser testing range.

The company says in 2008 its turnover was £10m, but this is expected to grow to £30m by 2013.

The company is one of many to set up in the city after a major drive to attract financial services and the science and technology sectors to North Yorkshire in the wake of a decline in the traditional manufacturing base.

There are now an estimated 2,800 science and technology-based businesses in North Yorkshire with the county’s creative and digital output forecast to increase by 55 per cent to almost £1bn by 2016.

Around 35,000 workers are now employed across science and technology-related sectors in the county and almost 30 per cent more work in creative industries than in agriculture.

In 1999, York Council set up Science City York to insulate North Yorkshire to promote bioscience, creative industries, and IT and digital opportunities across the county.