RUNCORN'S Heath Business and Technical Park is to be honoured by a Royal visit next week to mark the 100th resident signing up to the pioneering science and business centre.

The Duke of Gloucester is due to visit The Heath on Wednesday to tour the location and see the wide range of scientific work being undertaken by leading bioscience companies.

And he will also be paying a visit to Norton priory Museums and Gardens - 22 years after he opened the museum.

The Heath's achievements have come just three years after the site - once headquarters of chemical giant ICI - looked likely to be lost to industry for good.

Former ICI managers mounted a bid to acquire the 54-acre site when ICI decided to pull out of the town.

The buy-out led to the creation of a new company, SOG Ltd, which transformed the site into one of the UK's top business and technical centres.

The Heath is now home to firms from all over the world and has created 1,300 jobs.

The Duke will met the SOG team, led by managing director Dr Peter Cook, and will also present a gift to Merseyside bioscience firm StylaCats - the 100th resident to move in.

Stylacats has moved from Ellesmere Port. Its 28 staff will utilise 11,500 sq ft of laboratory and office space at The Heath.

The Duke is the latest in a line of high profile visitors to the centre. In January, trade and industry minister Lord Sainsbury toured the site and gave a keynote speech to business leaders from across the North West.

Last year former Tory cabinet minister Lord Heseltine and former ICI chief Sir John Harvey-Jones delivered speeches as part of a series of special lectures.

Mr Cook said: 'The Duke of Gloucester's visit is another marvellous boost for The Heath and the business community of the North West in general.

'We are extremely honoured the Duke has asked to see first hand how we are transforming this part of the region and breathing new life into the business community. 'It is a particularly appropriate time for a Royal visit as it coincides with the 100th resident moving onto the site which is a great achievement for us. We are now setting our sights on attracting the next 100 businesses to The Heath.'

At Norton Priory he will be met by the Lord Lieutenant for Cheshire, William Bromley Davenport.

In 1982 the Duke opened the museum and Georgian walled garden.

Chairman of trustees Paul Mathews said: 'We are delighted and honoured that the Duke is visiting Norton Priory to see the work of the trust first hand.'