EAST Lancashire is losing 2,500 manufacturing jobs every year – and regeneration bosses admit most will never be replaced.

Regeneration Pennine Lancashire (RPL), the body charged with growing the area’s economy, has drawn up plans for the year ahead, with a focus on high-tech.

It aims to create well-paid jobs and attract investment at a time when public sector regeneration cash for East Lancs has been stripped away.

RPL chief Steve Hoyle said the body would concentrate on creating 1,000 new jobs a year in five key areas: aerospace, advanced composite manufacturing, medical and pharmaceutical, digital and environmental technologies.

However, with 2,500 traditional manufacturing jobs axed or moved elsewhere every year, it leaves East Lancs with a deficit of 1,500 in one of its strongest sectors.

Mr Hoyle said: “We should not be too downbeat because manufacturing is undergoing something of a renaissance at the moment.

“We are dealing with a lot of companies who want to come and invest in the area and the Chamber of Commerce tells us that a lot of firms already here want to expand.”

Mr Hoyle pointed to the success of Evolution Park, Blackburn, which has attracted 20 medical or pharmaceutical firms in recent years.

Another 10, including French firm Gosselin, are based on nearby Shadsworth business park.

Mr Hoyle said that in the absence of old-fashioned firms employing thousands of people, business advisers at RPL would deal mostly with smaller businesses.

Bosses plan to help 450 firms launch new products and services in 2011/12 through the Lancashire Innovation Network, while another goal is to assist more than 500 start-ups.

Mr Hoyle added: “The future of this area depends on SMEs.

“We have got a lot of good companies and budding entrepreneurs, so it is important we support them.”