WORLD class Runcorn research centre Sci-Tech Daresbury achieved sales of more than £90 million last year and created 87 new jobs.

The workforce is set to increase by a further 350 in the coming year at the UK’s leading science and innovation campus.

A survey of 82 companies reveals business increased by more than 25 per cent last year.

More than a quarter of the firms now have sales of more than £1m a year, with six rocketing above £5m.

Around 70 per cent of businesses were trading overseas with export sales up by almost 40 per cent.

John Downes, chief executive of Langtree and chairman of the Sci-Tech joint venture company, said: “These figures come at an important time for the campus as we bring forward our new Techspace developments which will see a further 350 jobs created over the coming year.

“We have now seen an average annual 30 per cent sales growth over the past five years which is a significant achievement.”

Techspace Two, a two-storey building with 10,000 sq ft of offices and laboratories is due to be completed in the autumn.

Work is also progressing on Techspace One, a three-storey structure with 46,000 sq ft of offices and laboratories.

The two buildings are part of a £20m investment into the Enterprise Zone.

The project was supported by the European Regional Development Fund programme from 2007-2013.

Mr Downes said the latest figures provide further encouragement for the year ahead with 72 per cent of companies hoping to recruit 186 people this year.

Sci-Tech Daresbury is a private-public joint-venture partnership between developer Langtree, the Science and Technology Facilities Council and Halton Council.

The site, which has Enterprise Zone status, is home to businesses and globally significant science facilities.