Plans have been approved for a £40 million expansion at Chivas Brothers' Kilmalid site in Dumbarton.

Work on the new bottling plant will begin immediately, while the Scotch whisky producer also plans to create new office accommodation at the site, creating around 480 new jobs.

Council Leader Jonathan McColl, said: "Chivas Brothers‘ decision to invest £40m in Dumbarton shows that West Dunbartonshire, while being attractive for small and medium enterprises, is also a place where large businesses can be confident locating their operations.

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"We are well positioned close to vital links to major road, air, rail and sea transport networks and we are very much open for businesses. I'm delighted that the future of the Chivas site is secured with hundreds of jobs coming to the area as a result."

Chief Executive Laurent Lacassagne added: "With an 80-year history in Dumbarton, we're proud to be investing and expanding in this community and look forward to progressing the project to the next stage."

Completion is scheduled for 2019.

(LM)