WINSFORD'S growing economy is set to benefit from yet another jobs boost.

The town's job market has already been given a fillip by the opening of Cheshire police's new HQ at Woodford Park. And news has also been welcomed that Grampian is to reopen the former Harris Bacon Factory, which was closed down two years ago with the loss of 500 jobs.

Now the town's unemployed are set to benefit from two new factories being built at Winsford Industrial Estate.

Plans for two high-bay industrial buildings on land off Road One were expected to be rubber stamped at last night's meeting of Vale Royal Borough Council's planning committee. The first building will be 16m tall and measure 170m by 90m and will stand near to the existing Transco. The second factory, also 16m tall, will measure 125m by 60m and will be built to the rear of the site close to the eastern boundary.

Both buildings will be used for light industrial, general industrial or storage and warehousing and the proposal follows on from plans which have already been approved for a warehouse. It is hoped the improved plans for the developments will attract a major employer to the town.

A report to planners said: 'There can be no objection in principle to this proposal as the site is allocated for employment purposes and there is existing permission for a single high bay warehouse of substantial size.

'The proposal is a variation of the development already approved for the site to enable the developer to offer greater interest to prospective commercial operators.'

Planners recommended approval of the scheme after a survey found no evidence of protected great crested newts on the site.

The report said: 'Although some smooth back newts were evident in the ponds beyond the site, there was no evidence of great crested newts either within any water holes within the development site, or within the ponds within 250m from the site. The surveys of the site found no evidence of bats or badgers.'

Approval was recommended subject to conditions including a landscaping plan and a mitigation plan be submitted for the protection of any rare or protected species of flora and fauna.