HUNDREDS of new jobs are set to be created at Shotton Paper Mill after major expansion and redevelopment plans were given the green light.

On Wednesday, Flintshire Council’s planning committee formally approved plans for 82 hectares of new factory buildings, processing plant, associated landscaping, offices, access and parking at Shotton Paper Mill on Deeside Industrial Estate.

The business was sold by UPM to Eren Paper Ltd last year.

The scheme will create 850 new jobs and safeguard 190 existing jobs at the site on Weighbridge Road.

A report written by the council’s Chief Planning Officer Andrew Farrow states that financial contributions be made towards the delivery of a footway/cycleway along the frontage of Weighbridge Road.

There is also the requirement for the preparation of a Traffic Regulation Order and installation of an extension to the double yellow lines onto part of the Weighbridge Road frontage.

Mr Farrow writes: “The scale of the proposal is significant with site area of 82 hectares of development and building heights ranging from between five metres to a maximum of 42 metres for the Paper mill.

“The development will have a striking visual presence and will be visible from a wide area.”

According to the planning documents, the development will consist of a major new paper production facility, enabling the paper mill to produce paper for containerboard (paper reels), containerboard (flat sheets), cardboard containers (boxes), and tissue products.

The proposals will utilise some of the existing built development on site. Some buildings will be retained and used for a different purpose.

The existing buildings and plant that would be retained are primarily concerned with the reception, cleaning and preparation for use as feedstock of raw recycled paper, and energy generation.