Almost 100 new jobs could be created in South Derbyshire as car manufacturer Toyota looks to expand its despatch yard at the Burnaston Factory.

The firm has put in an application to South Derbyshire District Council to create a new space to the rear of the main factory for an extra 3,500 vehicles.

If plans are approved, the firm would be able to cater 120 full-time and 60 part-time jobs doubling the current number of staff.

According to documents submitted as part of the application, the current despatch yard employs 65 full-time staff and 25 part-time roles, reported the Derby Telegraph

Toyota has been making cars at the Burnaston factory since 1992, and will celebrate 25 years of manufacturing at the site in December.

Burnaston Toyota Factory
Cars have been built at the South Derbyshire factory since 1992

The plans would help Toyota to change their current system of storing vehicles off-site. The majority of cars produced at the factory in Burnaston are exported to the despatch yard, new to the plant’s solar farm.

It is understood that the development would lead to the removal of field boundary hedges and groups of trees, but bosses at Toyota have said they would be planting several trees to screen the yard.

The council’s planning committee is due to meet on Tuesday, July 18, to discuss the proposals, and officers have recommended that councillors delegate the approval of the scheme to the planning services manager ahead of a deal being reached with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

The planning department’s report said: “One of the most important considerations in regards to the proposals is the economic benefits that arise from the development. Toyota are a successful company and have been producing cars at the Burnaston site for almost 25 years and are one of the largest employers in the area.

“The proposal would allow the significant expansion of this local business adjacent to their existing site and would assist in economic regeneration.

"Looking at the impact of the development as a whole it is considered that the proposal would maintain the intrinsic qualities of the surrounding landscape and subject to appropriate mitigation, would not lead to any undue adverse impacts, even taking into account the removal of a significant length of hedgerow and trees.