AROUND 140 new jobs could be created in Worcester - with a £20 million business park securing the go-ahead for another expansion.

Great Western Business Park will get 11 new big industrial units measuring a total of 64,000 sq ft of floor space in its biggest overhaul yet.

Worcester City Council's planning committee has also allowed St Modwen to create a new unit for builders' merchant Travis Perkins in a 17,000 sq ft base.

Both expansions were voted through unanimously yesterday despite anger among some councillors about the developer not stumping up for roads improvements.

The county council's highways department had asked for £55,000 and £53,000 respectively towards easing congestion, but St Modwen said the expansion would be unviable if that bill was agreed.

City council planning officers said St Modwen had settled on a profit margin of around 12 per cent, calling it "significantly below industry standards", and recommended that it get the nod, saying the "level of investment and job creation" should be supported.

Councillor Geoff Williams, the committee's vice-chair, said: "These assessments (on how much cash should be handed over) always seem to work in the developer's favour.

"We need to take a serious look at this because I'm getting extremely worried."

Fellow Labour Councillor Paul Denham said he welcomed the job creation and the park's success, but added: "At a time when public money is at a premium, we've come to rely on developers to fund infrastructure, school places, and so on - but we're not getting it here."

Both of them were heavily critical of the deal but planning officer Nick Kay appeared to blame central Government, saying "unrealistic planning obligations are seen as an obstacle to development" by ministers.

Conservative Councillor Robert Rowden defended the developer, saying: "A developer may have a certain amount of debt on land, that it's had for some time.

"It's far better to have good companies investing in new jobs and making decent profit, than have some fly-by-night buildings go up where there is no profit for anyone.

"Viability means making profits, it means prosperity - it doesn't mean just grabbing more money for the state."

The park is the biggest brownfield site in Worcester and opened in 2008 after St Modwen bought 23 acres of the old Tolladine Road goods yard, near Shrub Hill Station, from former owner rail properties for £3.5 million.

It has five 6,200 sq ft units which are fully occupied and a second phase made up of a further 24,800 sq ft for speculative use.

The fresh phase of development will sit adjacent to the new headquarters for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.

After the meeting Jonathan Green, senior development Surveyor at St. Modwen, said: "This third phase of units at Great Western Business Park represents St. Modwen’s commitment to investing in Worcester, creating new long-term job opportunities in the area.

"The park appeals to light industrial, storage and distribution occupiers and, following deals with Travis Perkins Group and Worcester Fire Station plus a number of enquiries for space, we are pleased to bring over 64,000 sq ft of prime industrial space forward."