Plans for a paper mill on Deeside that could create more than 400 jobs will go before the Flintshire planning committee this month.
Proposals for the 700,000 sq ft facility at the Northern Gateway (Airfields) site were announced by Italian-based, Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti Group (ICT) last year.
The mill, on a 50-acre site, would manufacture paper products such as toilet rolls, kitchen towels, napkins, handkerchiefs and industrial uses. These will be marketed through retailers’ private labels and via ICT’s own FOXY brand to the UK and Irish markets
The Welsh Government has provided £5m towards the planned facility and submitted a planning application for a new road that will link into Deeside Industry Park
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This comes as a separate plan for the redevelopment of the former UPM paper mill site on Deeside is also proposed. This could create 660 jobs.
Planning officers have now recommended the ICT scheme is approved when it comes before the Flintshire County Council planning committee on March 30.
They said: "This application seeks planning permission for the development of Plot C on the Airfields, Northern Gateway site, to provide a new paper mill facility.
"Works include the provision of paper processing plants, high bay warehouse, ancillary buildings and associated infrastructure.
"The application site is located within a strategic mixed use development site which has the benefit of an extant planning permission for B1, B2 and B8 uses. The principle of this development on the former brownfield land is supported both in local adopted plan policy and national planning policy."
They said that the construction and operational phases of the development could give rise to significant environmental impacts, including on marine quality and protected species.
But added: "The applicant has provided comprehensive studies and evidence to prove that subject to appropriate mitigation there will be no noticeable impact arising from the development. Matters including flood risk and air quality have also been addressed.
"Whilst the scale of the development cannot be underestimated,particularly the building heights, members must be aware of the context of this site with existing industrial units both within the Airfields site and on Deeside Industrial Park to the rear."
They concluded: "For the reasons outlined above it is considered that the proposal satisfies planning policy and I therefore recommend that planning permission is granted subject to the imposition of conditions."
On the website, ICT pledged an economic boost to Flintshire and the wider region.
“Overall, once fully developed, it is estimated the proposed development will generate approximately £2.9m of business rates revenue per annum, with Phase 1 directly accounting for £1.5 million per annum," they said.
