PLANS to create 70 jobs at a chemical plant on Teesside look likely to be approved.

Halterman Custom Processing, on the ICI Process Plant Park, in Billingham, wants to extend its storage facilities to meet demand for its services.

The company estimates that over the next five years, it will need to provide a succession of new storage tanks to enable the business to grow and provide increased sustainable employment.

The company has applied for planning permission to create 78 steel storage tanks of varying size and diameter. The tanks will have a total capacity of 14,280 tonnes and will hold a variety of chemicals.

A spokesman from Halterman said: "The growing demand for the company's services requires we expand our storage facilities at the Billingham site.

"The tank farms will be constructed to stringent health, safety and environmental standards. Our proposal is to construct over the existing area and any contaminated spoil that needs to be removed, will be assessed, and if required disposal will be to an approved landfill site."

The company has also said that it will lodge a further planning application to build a new plant to provide new processing facilities at the site, associated with its current manufacturing and chemical recovery operations.

A report to Stockton Borough Council's planning committee, which meets on Friday, states: "There is no objection to the proposal, which will help provide a further 70 full-time jobs and secure the existing 30 jobs."