A MAJOR extension to a thriving £20 million Worcester business park can today be revealed - leading to a jobs bonanza.

Up to six new companies will be able to join the Great Western Business Park after councillors gave the green light to a big expansion.

The site, an old railway goods yard off Tolladine Road, is currently doing so well all the available units are fully occupied.

Worcester City Council's planning committee has approved the construction to start on a brand new, two-storey building containing 2,438 square metres of floor space.

The park's bosses say they will either let it to one or two major employers, or divide it up into six units for different firms.

No details have been released yet on how many jobs it could create - but the expansion is the biggest change to the park since it launched in 2008.

It is the biggest brownfield site in Worcester and is owned by St Modwen Developments, which bought 23.4 acres of the old Tolladine Goods Yard, near Shrub Hill Station, from former owner Rail Properties for £3.5 million.

The fresh phase of development will sit adjacent to the new headquarters for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.

Senior planning officer Alan Coleman said: "All of the current parts of this site are fully occupied, it's a real local success story and we hope that continues.

"The land we are talking about is still completely undeveloped but the access to it is already in place.

"We very much welcome this and recommend it for approval."

It was voted through unanimously by the committee, with councillors saying it will provide a major boost to the entire city.

Councillor Paul Denham said: "This is one of the very few development sites in my Rainbow Hill ward.

"It's vitally important to encourage job creation for the whole of Worcester, the first phase has been very successful.

"I hope we can get on with this so the next phase can be successful too."

The yard was once a significant centre for passenger and freight activity, but fell into disuse after the end of the age of steam in the mid-1960s.

The site currently employs around 250 people, with a range of industrial companies there include Storage King, an Australian-owned self-storage company.

SPAL Automotive UK, which imports goods for the car industry like parking sensors, security devices and cruise control accessories is also there.