A Dorset manufacturer is planning to create 100 jobs in the county with a multi-million-pound investment.
Norco Ltd, headquartered in Poole, is looking to create the roles at the Dorset Innovation Park in Winfrith.
The firm is seeking permission from the local authority to expand its building on the former nuclear site in a move that would significantly increase its current facilities.
According to the planning submission to Dorset Council, the company anticipates creating 40 immediate jobs and an additional 60 in the longer term.
Presently, around 30 individuals are employed at the Winfrith location, according to documents from Dorset Council which earlier this year approved the sale of extra land to Norco.
Cllr Richard Biggs, deputy leader of Dorset Council and portfolio holder for economic growth, has expressed his support for the application. He said: "Our new Economic Growth Strategy has a target for 300 new jobs at the Dorset Innovation Park by 2029, so we welcome planning applications from businesses already on the site who are looking to expand."
The Innovation Park, with about 10 hectares still available for development, remains a pivotal initiative by the council to draw and maintain high-calibre employment within the county.
Norco's proposed development would see the company's premises double in size, including the addition of a lofty 'crane building'. The planning request details a new storage area to the north and a significant extension to the south, labelled as a 'facility' building – together these would add approximately 5,800 square metres, effectively doubling the existing operational footprint.
A crane facility forms part of the application, representing more than 12% of the expansion proposal and, if given the green light, would rank among the tallest structures on the park, nearly doubling the site's design guidelines which specify a 14-metre maximum height.
Architects representing the firm argue that whilst a 27-metre structure would exceed the site's height restrictions, this elevation is essential and matches the size and scale of former nuclear research facilities located just west of the location.
The location sits directly beside the Weymouth to Waterloo railway line and, like other sites on the park, lies within a restricted zone with no public access permitted. Numerous businesses on the estate operate within the defence sector, with Norco eager to broaden its defence portfolio further.
The planning submission also outlines expanding the car park to accommodate 256 vehicles, more than doubling the current capacity, whilst incorporating 20 cycle spaces.
Norco, headquartered in Poole since its establishment in 1985, positions itself as "a leading manufacturer of lightweight composite structures and glass reinforced plastic mouldings" with operations across six locations and employing more than 170 staff.
The firm's customers include Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Siemens, Airbus, Sunseeker, the RNLI and Princess boats alongside numerous defence-focused specialist enterprises. The website also features vertical take-off and landing aircraft and unmanned vessels in which the company has played a role.
Public feedback on the application P/LDP/2025/03871 is welcomed until 20 August.
