NEW jobs could be on the way to Stourport after plans to expand an industrial estate were given the green light.

Fifteen extra units will be built at Fletcher Business Park, on Sandy Lane Industrial Estate, after proposals were passed by Wyre Forest District Council.

The two-storey development, at Barracks Road, will be for business or light industrial use.

Objections were lodged against the plan by neighbours with fears over a loss of privacy, a lack of screening from trees and the siting of the car park for 42 spaces on part of the floodplain.

Members of the district council's planning (development control) committee, however, supported the application, with conditions.

"I don't think we have any possibility of turning down an employment development on land that has been designated for employment use," said committee member, councillor Fran Oborski.

Councillor John Simmonds said the land was, currently, a "very dull (and) uninteresting bit of landscape" with "no trees, no bushes, just a bare open space".

He added he was concerned about the flood plain. The Environment Agency, however, carried out a flood risk assessment which gave the plan the thumbs up.

Steve Greybanks, agent for the firm behind the scheme, Clive Fletcher Developments, said the plan was for a hi-tech business park.