ONE of the country's leading recycling businesses is to move to Worcester creating new jobs, after city planners gave the relocation scheme the thumbs-up.

A total of 28 jobs are set to be created as Remarkable Pencils moves its entire operation from London.

It applied to Worcester City Council to relocate to the former Pickfords warehouse on Midland Road, providing a 10,000sq ft base for the company.

The firm, which was set up in 1996, makes stationery from recycled materials and stockists include supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury's.

And planners gave the move the go-ahead in principle at a meeting of the city council's planning committee in the Guildhall last Thursday.

Councillor Aubrey Tarbuck said it was a positive move for the future of Worcester.

"We need to welcome these companies which are coming to regenerate the city and we must do everything we can to encourage businesses of this and any other nature to come here.

"It'll be great to see this area start to be tidied up, because it's been in a bit of a mess for quite some time now."

The company's products include pens made from computer printers, mouse mats created from old car tyres and award-winning pencils recycled from plastic cups.

Staff

It is envisaged it could move to the city by the end of the year, with 12 staff being transferred from London.

It was suggested the company could lead by example and provide recycling banks on site as they were making a minimal contribution to the provision of educational facilities in the area.

"I'm pleased to see this application coming here and that it'll be employing 40 people, of which 28 will be local people," said Coun Paul Denham.

"In view of the fact we're being generous with the reduced contribution, though I think we should ask for a contribution, for recyclable facilities for the general public be made on site."

Councillors agreed to delegate the scheme to the head of planning services for approval, subject to the various issues being resolved.