Plans for a new production facility at a wood panel factory on the outskirts of Wrexham have been given the go-ahead after a successful appeal.

Kronospan in Chirk applied to create a new orientated-strand board production facility last summer, in a move that it said would create 100 jobs.

However, councillors put the proposals on hold at a meeting held in March, amid concerns about the impact on road safety.

Kronospan (www.kronospan-worldwide.com) launched an appeal, saying there were no reasons why the scheme should not progress, and the company’s stance has been backed by Aidan McCooey, an inspector appointed by the Welsh government.

His report said that any potential problems caused by queueing lorries would be addressed by the creation of a new weighbridge at the site and the increased use of rail transport.

The proposals form part of Kronospan’s plans to invest £200 million in the site over the next three years.