A NEW £30m dairy under construction in Droitwich Spa is just the first phase of a development set to create around 1,500 jobs.

Work on the milk processing and distribution centre, at Stonebridge Cross Business Park, off the A442, is on target for the planned opening date next spring.

The 16.5-acre site, being built by Robert Wiseman Dairies plc, is expected to create around 500 jobs.

However, Chris Lea, managing director of developers Stoford Developments, said the centre was just the first phase of a larger project.

"There is 1.2m square feet to be filled at Stonebridge and the dairy takes only a fifth of that," he said.

"The rest of the development will be a mixture of distribution, manufacturing and office sites.

There will be at least another 1,000 jobs created at the neighbouring Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate," Mr Lea added.