PART of a former coach depot is to be turned into a dairy storage and distribution unit, creating 30 new jobs.

Wrexham Council received a planning application last month which requested permission to change the use of part of a former GHA Coaches depot at Vauxhall Industrial Estate in Ruabon to storage and distribution of dairy products.

A report to the authority’s planning committee, which will meet next week, states the plans have been granted approval by delegated decision.

According to a design and access statement submitted with the original plans Tomlinsons Dairies Limited (TDL), currently the largest processor of liquid milk in Wales, recently acquired units 10 and 11 on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate in Ruabon.

The units were occupied by GHA Coaches which used them as a passenger transport depot – until that company went into administration – and TDL wanted to use part of unit 11 for the storage and distribution of dairy products that have been processed and packaged at their main Five Crosses Industrial Estate site.

The design and access statement reads: “The re-use of this part of unit 11 by TDL would generate approximately 30 new full time jobs.

“Proposals for the remainder of unit 11 are currently under consideration, although it is possible that the southern end of the steel framed building will continue to be used as a vehicle servicing/repair workshop, albeit dealing with TDL’s own vehicles rather than buses and coaches.”

Changing the use of the building will not entail any construction of new premises or alterations to the site’s floor area.

The number of car parking spaces on site will also remain at the current 50 spaces.