THE new firm building the largest cider mill in western Europe in Ledbury has announced a three-phase development and a recruitment fair.

Universal Beverages Ltd, a joint venture between Scottish and Newcastle and the QGroup of Ledbury, hopes to complete all three phases over the next 12 months.

The company's MD David Hepworth said: "The next stage will involve moving at least six 800,000-litre fermentation tanks from Germany.

"This will involve transporting the vessels down the Rhine, across the English Channel and then comes the difficult task of bringing them by road to Ledbury.

"We have a number of challenges ahead but this one is certainly going to be one of the more complex."

Details of the location and date of the jobs fair are still to be announced but the project is likely to bring a massive boost to the area.

Phase one is to create a huge cider production facility at the Q-Group site, off the Bromyard Road, where a number of smaller scale fermentation tanks have already been delivered. At least six 800,000 litre fermentation tanks like this will be moved from Germany to Ledbury.

The second and third phases will focus on the former Robertsons Ledbury Preserves site, off Little Marcle Road.

This has just by bought by Universal Beverages Ltd off Premier Foods. Project spokeswoman Fenella Tyler said: "A fruit processing mill with a capacity to handle 15,000 tonnes of fruit per week will be built alongside a facility that will include additional fermentation, storage and packaging lines.

"Universal Beverages has also agreed to continue suet production for Premier Foods.

This will be housed in a separate area of the existing site."

Universal Beverages is also talking to drinks producers across the UK with a view to offering milling, fermentation and packaging services under contract.

It hopes to announce the full level of its investment in the project by April.