Coronavirus: Bridgend toilet roll mill expansion

A toilet tissue manufacturer which has been working around the clock to meet demand during the coronavirus pandemic has been given planning permission to open a second production line.

The £100m expansion at Bridgend Paper Mill will also create 70 new jobs at its sprawling site near Maesteg.

Plans include a new pulp storage area and a warehouse for up to 35,000 pallets.

The firm claims to make almost two million loo rolls daily.

The plans, which have been approved by Bridgend council's development control committee, were first announced last November.

Workers have "been working flat out to address... toilet roll shortages and keep stock high", according to a post on mill owner WEPA UK's 'blog roll'.

"It's taken foresight, innovative thinking and strong collaboration from our teams to remove the hurdles posed by Covid-19, but we've got there," it said.

Councillor Richard Young, Bridgend council's cabinet member for communities, said: "With the coronavirus pandemic still in effect, this news could not have come at a better time.

"It represents a huge vote of confidence in both the local workforce and the county borough's economy, and will prove to be of major significance for generations to come."