AN engineering business has submitted an application to expand their warehouse operations - which may lead to an additional 10-15 jobs being created within the town.

West Cumberland Engineering Ltd, a 'well-established and experienced' fabrication company based in Workington, submitted an application to Allerdale Borough Council last week to increase the manufacturing space by an additional 2000 square meters, through the construction of an extension to the current main fabrication shop.

This application has been submitted for the existing developed site on Joseph Noble Road, Lillyhall Industrial Estate, Lillyhall, Workington CA14 4JX which is within a 'safeguarded' employment site within the Allerdale Local Plan.

The site has been occupied by West Cumberland Engineering Ltd for approximately 30 years and comprises two Fabrication Shops and one Machine Shop alongside which are storage areas and car parking.

West Cumberland Engineering Ltd describe themselves as a 'well-established and experienced fabrication company focusing on the manufacture and installation of high quality welded fabrications such as process pipework, tanks, vessels, modules, waste containers and high integrity ductwork mainly for the nuclear and petrochemical industries.'

The company have said that they are in need of the extension, which they believe will allow them to 'expand and grow the business' - and see creating an additional 10-15 jobs at the factory.

The application said: "Due to the amount of work being created at Sellafield we need to create additional space be able to further compete in this sector to expand and grow the business, creating sustainable growth and creating additional permanent employment opportunities for the local area.

"We currently employ 88 local people and see this expansion creating an additional 10-15 jobs."

The building of the new extension is not expected to affect any traffic or parking arrangments around the site - despite the fact it may lead to additional employees using the facility.

The application said: "The existing parking arrangements/provision are adequate and fit for purpose.

"The business expansion will mean an increase in our workforce but as such our existing parking arrangements will remain adequate & fit for purpose."

The application was submitted to Allerdale Borough Council on Thursday, September 8 and is currently under consultation with the authority.