Green light for £95m Forterra brick factory

Brick maker Forterra has got the planning green light to build Europe’s biggest brick factory in Leicestershire.The firm said it would now start work on the £95m project to double production capacity at its Desford plant, subject to conditions and a legal agreement.The major investment will transform the Desford facility into both the largest and most efficient brick factory in Europe, increasing production capacity from 85m bricks to 180m bricks annually.This is enough to build 24,000 average-sized family homes. On a company-wide scale, this will increase our overall brick production capacity by 16% to around 700m bricks a year by 2022.The new plant will be built alongside the current factory, to ensure current production is maintained.Situated just two miles from the M1 with excellent transport links, the modernised Desford site will offer a range of red and buff bricks designed to meet the demands of house builders.