Longtan Science Park expansion approved, expected to create 4,500 jobs

Taipei, Sept. 17 (CNA) Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC) on Thursday approved a plan to expand Taoyuan's Longtan Science Park by 104 hectares, a project expected to create about 4,500 jobs.

The NDC, the policy planning arm of the Executive Yuan, approved the plan submitted by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) at a review meeting Thursday. The plan will now go to the Executive Yuan for final approval.

In a statement, the NDC said the expansion is intended to strengthen the semiconductor industry cluster in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli area and further consolidate Taiwan's competitive advantage in the high-tech sector.

The NT$95.63 billion (US$2.99 billion) expansion project will be funded through annual budget allocations from the Science Park Bureau's Operation Fund, the NDC said.

Under the plan, reviews of development permits for non-urban land and an environmental impact assessment are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2028.

Following land acquisition, the design and construction of park infrastructure will begin in 2030, with companies allowed to build their facilities concurrently, the agency said.

The NDC said the NSTC and Taoyuan City government selected the 104-hectare site on the eastern side of Longtan Science Park in response to the growth demands of semiconductor firms.

Once the expansion is completed, companies at the site are expected to produce goods and services worth NT$550 billion per year and create around 4,500 well-paying jobs, the NDC said.

Longtan Science Park is one of six satellite parks overseen by the Hsinchu Science Park (HSP). According to the HSP website, the Longtan site currently covers 106.94 hectares and employs around 7,000 people, mainly in the integrated circuit, optoelectronic and biotechnology sectors.

In May, local media reported that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was seeking government approval to build an advanced wafer fab at Longtan Science Park following the expansion.