CONSTRUCTION has started on a £10million project that is set to create hundreds of new jobs in Burnley.

Clothing company Boohoo.com announced earlier this year plans for a 102,500 square feet extension to its existing distribution building – and another four-storey amenity block over another 30,500 square feet.

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Work is also being undertaken to create a new exit in Widow Hill Road, alongside a new security gatehouse and revised parking arrangements.

The new project is expected to create more than 350 jobs which will see the number of employees at the site in Widow Hill Road soar almost 1,000 staff before the end of next year.

Plans were passed by Burnley Council earlier this year which will see the firm’s Heasandford Industrial Estate premises double in size.

The firm, which arrived in Burnley in June 2010, has 465 workers, employed over four shifts. The land has been owned by parent company Wasabi Frog Ltd for the past three-and-a-half years, in anticipation of the growth proposals.

The company was launched in 2006 by Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane and has won awards from leading fashion and leisure names including Cosmopolitan, Reveal and Heat magazines.

A spokeswoman for Boohoo.com said: “Construction is due to be finished sometime between February and March next year.

“The functions of our site in Burnley are absolutely critical to the smooth running of the business.

“We are a growing business and this development underlines our commitment to Burnley and creating secure jobs in the area. The distribution block in Burnley is massively important to us.

“We will be looking to creating more job opportunities in the future.

“As we get larger we want to give more back to the community and also provide jobs for people who are seeking to get back into the workforce.”

Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley, said: “It’s a good thing for Burnley and a good thing for the local economy.

“This will put money in people’s pockets that they can then go and spend in the town.

“The company will become a major player in the town and is a big boost for Burnley.

“It’s a significant investment for the company and means that it is committed to creating secure jobs in the town.

“However, I have had a few complaints about the size of the building.”