A Stroud engineering group has welcomed the decision to allow a new food store and homes in the town which will enable the company to move to new premises.

Stroud planners have approved a new Lidl food store and around 130 homes on Stroud Metal's existing site at Dudbridge.

It means Stroud Metal and sister company Stroud Plastics can go ahead with plans to expand into a new factory in Brunel Way, Stonehouse.

Stroud Metal said it was delighted with the decision, adding: "This is a major milestone for Stroud Metal Company Ltd and their sister company, Stroud Plastics Co Ltd, manufactures of metal pressings and plastic injection mouldings.

"Upon completion of the period allocated for judicial review, approximately 6-8 weeks, construction will commence for the company's brand-new purpose built 79,000sqft factory (in Stonehouse) to house both Stroud Metal Co and Stroud Plastics.

Matthew Large, managing director of both companies (pictured) said: "I am thrilled that we have finally received the thumbs-up from the local authority and we can at long last commence construction of our new factory. It's been a very long time coming, but will be well worth the wait."

The new Stonehouse facility should be ready for occupation in March 2019 and will provide plenty of much needed expansion space as well as a manufacturing environment which has been designed to allow optimised material flow.

The new factory will also provide facilities such as overhead cranes and clean rooms for assembly and packaging of advanced automotive and medical device products.