UNEMPLOYMENT in Thanet is set to fall to two per cent in the next two years, a council boss has predicted.

Richard Samuel, chief executive of Thanet council, told guests at the Thanet Business Awards presentation ceremony in the Winter Gardens, Margate, that the jobless total had fallen from 18 per cent to around four per cent of Thanet's workforce in less than 10 years.

But projects in the pipeline were set to cut this figure. "Some major events over the next two years should transform that position further and bring us closer to the Kent (two per cent) and South East (1.8 per cent) averages," he said.

He said Westwood Cross had passed its final planning hurdles, paving the way for a £60 million development creating 1,300 jobs.

"Saga opens its new call centre at EuroKent in March with 600 new jobs, mostly recruited in Thanet," he added.

The council was working with the South East England Development Agency to speed up development of EuroKent business park by finding new funding for the access road.

He expected the Ramsgate Boulevard to be developed later this year as part of the Ramsgate Renaissance Project. There were other plans for the QEQM hospital expansion as a PFI scheme.

"A number of other developments around Westwood await the outcome of a recent public inquiry," he said.

New student accommodation was being built on the Canterbury Christ Church University College campus at Broadstairs, and the nearby Kent Innovation Centre was nearly full two years ahead of schedule.

"Finally, here in Margate, the council gave planning permission for the Turner Centre, discussions have commenced with the future developers of Dreamland, and the council is a joint sponsor of a master planning exercise looking at the future of Margate town centre.

"So these are exciting times for the local economy which will strengthen as its base diversifies."

He paid tribute to award sponsors - Barclays, Business Link Kent, Sericol, the Elonville Hotel, Multiglow Fires and Eurotunnel.