THE news more than 1,300 Amazon jobs are set to be created in Swindon this year has been greeted with delight by councillors.

The online giant will occupy the enormous new plant being built at Symmetry Park just off the A420 on the eastern edge of the town and announced yesterday it would be hiring 10,000 new staff across the UK.

That includes at least 1,300 jobs at new fulfilment centres in Swindon, Gateshead and Dartford.

READ MORE: Amazon reveals 1,300 jobs at huge Swindon warehouse

The news also provided the first confirmation Amazon would be using the new 50,000 sq m warehouse which was bought for £200m by Legal & General Investment Management in October.

Delighted Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard said: “This is excellent news and I’m very glad it’s now in the public domain.

“We have had extensive talks with Panattoni – the company building the Symmetry Park site – and we know that it was Amazon who were the clients but were unable to say that for reasons of commercial confidentiality.”

Coun Renard added: “Swindon has a strong economy, and it is looking well-placed to bounce back from the pandemic and this will help. It will bring a lot of jobs to Swindon and many of them are very skilled jobs.

“Swindon has always had a mixed economy – and that’s what will help us recover having a good mix of companies and not relying too much on any one industry.”

New deputy leader Gary Sumner, the cabinet member for strategic infrastructure and planning, said the new workers and those living nearby would benefit from the road improvements taking place at Gablecross on the A420, the White Hart Roundabout and in Covingham.

Coun Sumner said: “The New Eastern Villages scheme always had had 40 hectares of employment land as part of the plan, as well as up to 8,000 houses.

“People living nearby have been very patient over the last year but will see the benefits sooner rather than later.”

Coun Renard said: “All of this has been very carefully planned to fit together – it takes a lot of work, but it is coming together.”

Panattoni, which is one of the biggest builders of warehouses and distribution centres in Europe, recently announced it has bought the Honda plant in South Marston and will invest £700m in that site.

Councillor Roger Smith, who represents the St Margaret and South Marston ward, said: “This is not unexpected – we knew the Symmetry Park plant was due to be opened later this year – and we expected there to be in excess of 1,000 jobs, although we weren’t certain of the numbers.

“This is very good news, to have more jobs created as Honda leaves. And when the Honda plant is shut Panattoni will bring forward its plans for that as well.”

His fellow ward councillor Russell Holland said: “Investment in the town is always welcome. I think a lot of towns must be looking at the levels of investment Swindon is getting with some envy, and we should continue with that.”

Amazon says the jobs will be permanent roles and the company does not use zero-hours contracts.

Amazon's UK manager John Boumphrey said: “We’re creating thousands of good jobs across the UK from a diverse range of roles with excellent pay and benefits.

“We’re also delighted to be working on a pioneering approach to our Career Choice programme to provide the training, and skilled workers, needed to boost local economies right across the country.

“We’re proud of the frontline roles we offer across Amazon, and we also know that they will be a stepping stone for some in their career journey.”