A Finnish company, Metsä Group, has received planning approval to build the largest tissue paper mill in the UK at Humber Freeport, Goole. The project is expected to create between 405 and 459 full-time jobs and is planned in four phases over a ten-year period.
The facility will cover approximately three million square feet and produce around 240,000 tonnes of tissue paper annually, meeting roughly one-fifth of the UK’s domestic demand and reducing reliance on imports by more than 30%. The project is projected to generate an estimated £217 million in economic activity during construction. Annual business rates are expected to average £3.67 million, retained locally for 25 years under the Freeport designation. The development is also forecast to contribute around £26.5 million in gross value added to the regional economy each year.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s planning committee noted the development will significantly change the site’s landscape, affecting local views and public rights of way during construction. Despite these impacts, the council highlighted the economic benefits, noting that employment in the local area is below regional and national averages, making the jobs and economic activity generated by the mill a substantial local advantage.
