HUNDREDS of new jobs could be created after New Forest district councillors greenlit development of Marchwood military port.
Planning committee members granted Solent Gateway’s bid to double the storage capacity to a total of nearly 44 hectares, among a raft of improvements that also sparked warnings of extra traffic.
It will herald a seven-year expansion of the 83-hectare site, port boss Richard Parkinson said, boosting its operations storing automobiles and other cargo materials.
The site is also a main part of the Solent Freeport deal and Mr Parkinson revealed: “We are talking to three potential business who want to establish themselves in the port.
“Between them and Solent Gateway that could lead up to 500 jobs.”
He went on: “We have predicted up to 1,110 jobs could be associated with the port post-development” – although he clarified that included supply-line positions off-site.
However, the figure was disputed by Cllr Malcolm Wade who said the roles would be “specialist” and he doubted local people could fill…
