PLANS to relocate Stroud Metal Company to a new £8 million factory promises to create 100 new jobs for the area.

The proposal seeks the approval for a 79,000 sq ft factory to be built at Brunel Way in Stonehouse – moving the business from its current location in Dudbridge Road which it has outgrown.

According to the company’s managing director Matthew Large the move would not only secure the long term future of 50 existing manufacturing jobs in the Stroud area but has the potential to bring an additional 100 new jobs to the town.

“We have been in Stroud for a long time and are very loyal to our workforce and the community we call home,” said Mr Large.

“This is a tremendously exciting opportunity for our business to expand and the ability to grow our team by another 100 people will be great news for the local economy.

“However, this sort of move doesn’t come cheap and we are entirely reliant on selling our site at Dudbridge Road in order to fund it.”

Supermarket giant Morrisons intends to submit an application to SDC’s planning committee by the end of the month to build a medium-sized store at the site in Dudbridge Road - a stone’s throw from Sainsbury’s.

Morrisons, which already has a store in George Street, Nailsworth, is one of three supermarket developments announced for the Stroud area.

Plans have also been submitted for an ASDA on Daniels Industrial Estate in Bath Road, Lightpill and an unknown supermarket at a brownfield site near the Ryeford junction on the Ebley bypass.

An SDC spokesman said the council is currently assessing whether to consider the supermarket applications separately or at the same time at a specially convened planning meeting.

According to Mr Large if the Stroud Metal Company application is approved it will signal more good news for the town as the proposed Morrisons store will create a further 250 jobs for Stroud.

Following the release of initial plans for the Morrisons store, which were released in October last year, further public consultation is planned including a leafleting campaign in the local area.

Residents are also invited to give their feedback on a website which will be launched in the upcoming weeks.