NEW jobs will be created in Weston following a decision to allow a hi-tech company to build on the former RAF Locking site. Locking Parklands, as the site is now called, is jointly owned by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and English Pa

NEW jobs will be created in Weston following a decision to allow a hi-tech company to build on the former RAF Locking site.Locking Parklands, as the site is now called, is jointly owned by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and English Partnerships.The two agencies want to redevelop the former airbase into an employment-led site to attract businesses to the area.Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) will be the first company to move in next year.North Somerset councillors unanimously agreed at a south area committee meeting last week to give the precision-tool making company the green light.At present, OIPT has 30 employees who commute to its current offices in Yatton from Weston. The firm's finance director, Keith Edwards, said: "We have outgrown our facilities in the village and we need a new place to allow the company to fulfil its growth."Over the next two years the relocation will create somewhere in the region of 60 jobs."OIPT currently employs a total of 122 people, though this figure is expected to rise to 184 once it has settled in its new location. Planning chief Cllr Elfan Ap Rees said: "I realise it is sometimes difficult for members of the public to support moves for employment in the area but it is necessary to do that."Speaking after the meeting, Mr Edwards said: "We are very excited by this decision and would like to thank the council officers who have given us their support over the last few weeks.