PLANS for a new bottling complex in Tadcaster could create up to 64 jobs.

John Smith's Brewery in Tadcaster has submitted plans to Selby District Council to build a bottling plant at its site in the town.

The new plant will package one million hectalitres of premium lager a year, the equivalent of four million pints a week.

In a presentation to Tadcaster Town Council, project leader Nick Morton told councillors that the new project would create 35 jobs in the first year of operation. After a year it is hoped that the complex will employ about 64 workers.

Mr Morton said: "This is quite a large expansion for the brewery. Scottish & Newcastle has already spent £23 million on the Tadcaster brewery since it took over John Smith's in 1995, most of which was spent on state of the art brewing equipment.

"I am delighted that Tadcaster has been selected for another large investment."

The new complex will be made up of two bottling lines, which will package lagers such as Kronenbourg, Miller and Fosters, most of which will be delivered to the plant from elsewhere.

The two lines are expected to produce a total of 100,000 bottles of beer every hour, and once the plant is up and running the company hopes that bottling will take place around the clock.

He said that the new plant would be added to the existing canning complex and would be built on an unattractive piece of land in the site, known by workers as the old coal tip.

Production director Gary Woodburn assured councillors that the jobs created by the plant would be "high quality manufacturing jobs."

He said: "We are talking about well-paid jobs which will give people in the area a lot of skills in manufacturing."

The brewery is hoping to achieve speedy planning permission for its proposals and aims to have the plant in production by this time next year.

Tadcaster councillors praised the plans for the brewery, which employs 310 workers in its factory.

Coun Chris Metcalfe said: "It is nice to see the faith that Scottish & Newcastle are putting in Tadcaster. I am very pleased to see that the town is considered when it comes to major investment."

Mayor of Tadcaster Ted Mansfield said: "The extra employment is very welcome."

Updated: 13:56 Thursday, October 03, 2002