UPDATED 3.50PM

UP to 16,000 new jobs could be created across Worcestershire over the next five years - with council chiefs pinning their hopes on a 'high tech' revolution.

Worcestershire County Council has today revealed a firm target of the tally it wants to reach by 2020 by filling all the available units at business parks.

The £120 million Worcester 6 technology park is the biggest hope for a substantial bulk of the new work, with the city due to take 11,000 of the roles.

Your Worcester News can reveal how today senior officers at County Hall have travelled to London to take part in talks with possible investors over the site.

Bosses at the county council also say Malvern Hills Science Park, Redditch's Eastern Gateway and South Kidderminster Enterprise Park are the other key locations for the work.

Each of the plots, boosted with a £54 million Government Growth Fund kitty, means there is more land earmarked for jobs growth across the county than at any time in the last 30 years.

It is the first time council chiefs have come out with a firm target for the next five years, although it does form part of the well-publicised 25,000 new jobs needed by 2030, all of which are already earmarked on land under the emerging South Worcestershire Development Plan.

But the county council's leadership says coming out with a firm vow for 2020 is a statement of their intent.

Councillor Simon Geraghty, the deputy leader and cabinet member for skills, economy and infrastructure, said: "This is fantastic news for Worcestershire and there is more good news to come as our development sites begin to take shape.

"When we set out our plan for growth we recognised that we needed to secure land for development first - and then ensure that the infrastructure was fit for purpose.

"That's now underway and more and more companies are becoming aware of what Worcestershire has to offer."

Gary Woodman, executive director of Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Worcestershire's economy is growing fast.

"By making more land available we are showing that we are open for business for companies who are looking for a move as well as those who are ready to expand."

It comes after your Worcester News exclusively revealed how Worcestershire has been the third fastest growing economy in the country.

Between 2008 and 2013 only London and Oxfordshire boasted better records.

Work started in the summer on the Worcester 6 technology park, which will be complete by 2017 on land off Junction 6 of the M5 north.

The 11,000 jobs for Worcester includes around 5,000 at the technology park and a total of 5,800 mainly at two other key sites - the St Modwen-led business park off Nunnery Way and the south Worcester urban extension, which includes 14 hectares of land for business use.

It also emerged today that a £15 million deal over building the first unit at Worcester 6 has been signed off by council chiefs, meaning it will start to be constructed next March.

This afternoon, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Worcestershire is home to fantastic businesses – iconic British brands like Morgan and inward investors such as Yamazaki Mazak. 

"With a central location, enviable employment rates, a strong skills base and a number of game-changer sites being developed to accommodate businesses there is every reason for businesses to locate and grow in Worcestershire."

Around 1.5 million square foot of floor space being made available for new employers at the city's new park, making it the main emerging site for new work between Birmingham and Bristol.

* Boom! See how Worcestershire's economy has been the third fastest growing across the country by going HERE.

* For some background on Worcester 6 go HERE.