Confectionery company brings sweet boost to city’s economy

Confectionery giant Nestlé has today launches a landmark scheme in York – to build homes, shops and offices at the historic Cocoa Works on part of its Haxby Road site bringing nearly 600 jobs to the city as well as submitting formal plans for a multi-million pound extension of its product technology centre.

And ahead of the exhibition of the proposals to potential developers and investors at The Royal York Hotel, the company told the Yorkshire Post the scheme demonstrates its long-term commitment to the city where just a few years ago it was feared it could pull out completely.

Selby District Council also announced yesterday it has given the final go-ahead to a major new development in Sherburn in Elmet where a new bus assembly plant shipping goods out all over the world will be opened up later this year.

The Yorkshire Post understands the scheme will create more than 100 new jobs, as well as transferring around 400 existing employees to the area.

Nestlé business services director Dave Bruce said: “It is an exciting time for the York site demonstrating our long-term commitment to the city.

“In addition to the launch of The Cocoa Works, the Nestlé product technology centre, a global centre for confectionery research in York has also now submitted formal planning application this week for a multi-million pound extension.

“We are very excited about the impact both of these applications will have on the city from the investment and the hundreds of jobs created.”

The Cocoa Works development, in the conservation area between Haxby Road and Wigginton Road, includes 166 family homes, 46 apartments, a 55-unit assisted living development, a 100-bed student accommodation unit, 104,000 sq ft of office accommodation, 10,000 sq ft of retail space, and a number of new community facilities.

It has been in the pipeline for more than four years and was first revealed by the Yorkshire Post earlier this year.

Today’s announcement that the company is pushing ahead with the scheme will help allay grave concerns that emerged in 2006 when Nestlé announced it was shedding more than 600 jobs from its workforce in York.

The move is also expected to be seen as a key to safeguarding the future of the remaining 1,800 employees in the city.

Confirmation that bus manufacturer Optare has received planning permission from Selby District Council for alterations to Sherburn-in-Elmet’s Enterprise Park as part of its relocation from Leeds to North Yorkshire, has also been welcomed as a vital jobs boost for the county.

The company is expected to be operating from the 140,000 sq ft site later this summer.

The factory, which is the first new bus assembly plant to be opened up in the UK for four decades, will have a capacity to build as many as 1,200 buses a year to be shipped as far as New Zealand and South Africa.

Initially, the plant will employ about 400 people who will move from Leeds.

However, the company told the Yorkshire Post it hopes more than 100 new jobs will also be created by the move.

Councillor Mark Crane, leader of Selby District Council, said: “This news shines a light on the work that the council does to bring in new jobs to the district.

“Our officers have worked behind the scenes, alongside a number of local businesses, to develop the potential of our industrial sites.

“In particular this company liked this site because of the excellent regional transport links and good workforce.”

Nestlé are expected to publish details of the proposals for the site on a dedicated website very soon.