£10m deal struck by firm

A Kidderminster skip company has secured a £10 million deal to develop Europe's largest recycling centre, creating more than 70 jobs.

Lawrence Recycling and Waste Management plans to process waste at its site, called The Forge, on the Stourport Road.

The centre, which will cover a 16-acre site, will include an indoor facility for cleaning and sorting waste.

It will sift the waste to produce new supplies of materials including metals, plastics, sand and stone.

Much of the equipment is expected to be installed at Easter and it is hoped it will become operational by June.

It will process up to 250,000 tons of waste a year and reduce the amount now being sent to landfill sites.

An educational centre where schoolchildren and visitors will be able to view the process is also being planned.

Belbroughton-based financier James Grenfell has invested in and organised the £10 million deal.

Lawrence bought The Forge 18 months ago and has already invested more than £1 million in the site.

Managing director David Lawrence said: "We are pleased to have secured the funding to complete this project, which has been our ambition for the last four years."