SEVERAL hundred extra jobs could be coming to a paper mill site in Deeside as part of major redevelopment plans.

More than 650 new jobs could be created at Shotton paper mill as part of the redevelopment and expansion of the site - while retaining the 190 existing roles.

UPM announced in May that it had reached an agreement to sell its newsprint mill site to Eren Paper Ltd - a subsidiary of Turkish company, Eren Holding.

The mill currently produces newsprint paper but that is due to stop when Eren takes over at the start of October.

The company plans to produce container board and tissue products as well as building a new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant.

In a scoping request submitted to Flintshire Council, the company has outlined its plans for a major employment boost for the area.

As part of the development and expansion of the site, the company says it will need 160 employees for the cardboard paper production, 203 for corrugated paper and box production, 410 for tissue paper and 80 for the CHP plant.

The Leader: Shotton paper mill site.Shotton paper mill site.

The scoping report says: "In general terms production on site will be continuous (24/7) with staff working on a 5-shift pattern.

"This includes the paper production mills and CHP, although certain parts of the site such as recycling will operate within more ‘standard’ business hours.

"Deliveries and export of finished goods are expected to take place during daytime working hours, although exact details are to be confirmed."

The report states that the production facility would see over 200 trucks entering the site a day, and 325 leaving it on a daily basis.

It says the proposed new cardboard paper production facility would be using 100 per cent recycled paper.

The report states "By switching production from the declining newsprint market to the new production facility will allow the UK as a whole to be more self-supporting in these materials, reducing reliance on external supply.

"It is intended that Shotton will become the second largest container board campus in the UK, and that when completed Shotton’s new container board machine will be the largest and most technologically advanced paper mill in the UK."

"The company has been looking for a suitable site in the UK to expand its paper and packaging division. They are delighted to have acquired an established paper production site, albeit that significant capital investment is required to change the type of paper produced and bring the building and plant up to modern sustainable standards."

The plans would see existing paper mill buildings demolished, including the two main paper mills and a goods warehouse.