A PLAN to generate thousands of jobs by making Bolton a centre for innovation is being unveiled today.

The Bolton Innovation Zone, a 38 hectare site of commercial and leisure elements, is expected to generate around 4,000 jobs and attract £300 million of private investment to the town over the next ten years.

The plan will be announced at the world's leading international real estate summit in the south of France this afternoon.

Central to the development is the planned expansion of the University of Bolton, and the £65 million development to put two major colleges on one site, which represents the North-west's largest single investment in new further education facilities.

It is hoped that this blueprint will further enhance the University's growing international reputation in "smart material systems," by the development of new research facilities, and its track record of working with companies such as Sony, Reebok and Adidas.

It will also providing a complementary offer to the developments located along the Oxford Road Corridor in Manchester.

University of Bolton Vice Chancellor, Dr George Holmes, said: "The university will be playing a significant part in these exciting plans for Bolton's future, not least because the University of Bolton's new multi-million pound, single-site campus is located within the Bolton Innovation Zone and Cultural Quarter.

"We are investing more than £8 million in the next phase of our plans to turn Deane Campus into the dynamic 21st century learning environment our students deserve and further development plans will be announced in the near future.

"The university has also been in talks with Bolton Council, looking at ways for us to work together for the town where more than 2,500 students graduate each year. Innovative opportunities for our students' future careers are always welcome and we would hope to develop a symbiotic relationship with the cultural industries which will be key to this development."

This innovation and cultural hub will also include major investment in a new transport interchange, as well as new healthcare facilities. The Innovation Zone will also include the development of an integrated Cultural Quarter which will provide contemporary cultural facilities to complement the civic buildings along Le Mans Crescent. This will be based around four key components - a creative and community arts centre, an enhanced and extended civic core area including enhancements to the Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive and a new central library, a leisure element including bars, clubs, restaurants and retail units, along with green spaces and public squares.

The plan will be launched this afternoon at Marche International des Professionnels d'Immobilier (MIPIM) in Cannes, where Bolton is making its first appearance as part of a delegation for the Manchester city region.

MIPIM is the world's premier real estate and property summit.

More than 30 local authorities and public bodies from the UK are attending MIPIM, but Keith Davies, Bolton Council's Director of Development and Regeneration, is particularly pleased with the work that has been done before Bolton's delegation even arrives.

Mr Davies said: "There is no better way to take the opportunities that exist in Bolton to an international audience than attending this conference. This is the largest-ever MIPIM conference, with 25,000 people there, and we are taking Bolton's proposition to them, demonstrating our confidence that the Innovation Zone is a world-class development opportunity.

"We had a fantastic successful Developers Forum at the University in November last year, which outlined the ten year vision that exists for Bolton, and now we have an unrivalled opportunity to build relationships and showcase development opportunities available in Bolton to over 1,600 developers at the same time.

"Of the 38 hectares, 12 hectares has been earmarked for commercial development, and there are not many sites of that size available.

"We had a phenomenal response to Church Wharf, which was less than half the size. Bolton is already the region's fifth largest employment centre, and seventh most important retail destination, and the home of the UK's fastest growing university. At MIPIM, developers and investors will also be able to find out information on a number of other exciting development opportunities available in Bolton, which represent nearly £600 million in investment and are expected to bring in 10,000 new jobs to the town over the next ten years."

The Council hopes that MIPIM will provide an early opportunity for the international developer community to better understand the opportunities that are being created, in advance of the Innovation Zone Development Brief, which will be formally launched to the market in late summer. As well as one-to-one meetings, the Council will be putting its message across in a series of formal events in conjunction with Manchester city region partners.

A delegation from Manchester has been present at MIPIM for the last 15 years, and Mr Davies believes that the benefits that have come to the City can be broadened to benefit places such as Bolton.

Mr Davies concluded: "It will be an extremely busy summer. MIPIM 2007 is central to our development strategy, and provides an early opportunity to generate major investor awareness in the Zone, before we seek more detailed developer interest at the formal Bolton launch of the Development Brief in September."

Bolton Council's Executive Member for Development, Councillor Ebrahim Adia said: "The Innovation Zone is a fantastic development and investment opportunity, which will provide contemporary transport and community facilities; a major education hub and a collection of modern cultural facilities which will enhance Bolton's cultural offering for both residents and tourists.

This Innovation Zone and Cultural Quarter will transform the face of Bolton whilst retaining its architectural heritage and protecting the distinctive qualities of the different areas of the town centre."