A major plastic packaging manufacturer in Sunderland has won permission to expand its base and create new jobs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved an application for unit eight at West Quay Road, in Sunderland Enterprise Park.

The plans, from Shalam Thermoforming (UK), sought retrospective planning permission for a building extension for “factory production purposes”.

A planning application form said building work was completed in 2025 and a retrospective planning application was submitted later the same year.

It added the business has 110 existing employees and that the new factory extension would create an additional three full-time jobs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has now approved the retrospective plan.

Council planners said the proposed extension was ancillary to the established manufacturing use at the site and would be acceptable in principle.

They added the extension would not “adversely affect the character and appearance of the locality” and would be a “subservient addition to the host property”.

Meanwhile, there were no objections from the council’s highways authority and planning officers said the extension would not cause “unacceptable impacts” in relation to overshadowing and privacy.

Shalam Packaging manufactures a range of plastic products including buckets, containers, closures and caps and “food to go” containers.

The company already has a plant in Basildon and its website states its North East site specialises in thermoforming and blow moulding.

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