Scientists from Yorkshire were in Bonn this week to bid to host the world's most powerful neutron-scattering facility. The £1 billion project would be a major centre for the study of physics, chemistry, biology and engineering, and would attract up to 5,000 visiting scientists a year.
The bid revolves around the development of a 220-hectare disused airfield near Selby, North Yorkshire. An estimated 3,000 jobs would be created during construction and about 600 senior scientific staff and 1,500 support staff would be employed. The cost would be borne by European governments.
Bob Cywinski of Leeds University, which is leading the White Rose consortium bid with York and Sheffield, said there was concern that Europe was about to lose its lead in neutron scattering. The new accelerator, the European Spallation Source, would be ten times more powerful than machines being built in the US and Japan.
"The number of scientists turning to neutrons to solve their problems is growing almost daily but many neutron sources are reaching the end of their working life, and there will soon be a neutron drought," he said.
Competition to host the facility is coming from Germany, Scandinavia and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
But Professor Cywinski said: "The case for a Yorkshire site is compelling. It would redress the balance and bring some big science to the north, which has the depth of scientific and technological expertise necessary to help build this major facility. There are 17 universities employing 3,500 researchers in fields that are directly relevant."
High-tech companies would be attracted to the region as users and suppliers.