An aerial view shows how the park would look

Developer Park Lane Palisade (PLP) put forward the proposals for the 350 acre site at the Douglas Support Estate, between Bellshill and Coatbridge.

It wants to attract biotechnology, IT, finance and pharmaceutical firms to the park, which it says would be the first of its kind in the west of Scotland.

North Lanarkshire Council's planning committee has now backed the project.

The proposals include environmental improvements to the North Calder River Valley.

Market sectors

The aim is to transform a neglected and vandalised woodland, which is currently strewn with fly tipping and burnt-out cars, into an area for community access and recreation.

Paul Doherty, PLP's joint managing director, said: "The west of Scotland does not have a dedicated business park of this type and of sufficient scale to compete with other locations in the UK.

"Consequently, the area is failing to attract occupiers in the new or restructuring market sectors.

"We believe the creation of this business development would turn these fortunes around and position Lanarkshire as a centre of excellence for key sector companies."

It has been estimated that the construction of the park would create 150 full-time jobs.