A new £50m printing press for Northcliffe Newspapers has been given the go ahead by planners.

The newspaper group submitted a planning application to North Lincolnshire Council to build a press on an industrial estate at Elsham Wold near Brigg.

And despite objections from Elsham Parish Council and the Environment Agency, the council’s planning committee was unanimous in its decision to grant approval.

It is planned to print the Hull Daily Mail, Lincolnshire Echo, Scunthorpe Telegraph and Grimsby Telegraph at the new plant, as well as editions of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

The group aims to have the new press – which will allow for full colour editions of all the titles – up and running by the end of 2007.

Following the move the current printing facilities at Hull, Grimsby and Lincoln will close but all other departments at each site will remain.

Staff currently employed as production workers will be able to apply for the 120 jobs at the new plant.

Mark Ellington, technical director for Northcliffe Press, said: “At more than £50m, this project represents the largest single capital investment in production facilities in the entire history of Northcliffe Newspapers.

“The new printing press and associated pre-press and mailroom equipment will be the absolute state-of-the-art and allow us to produce full-colour newspapers with excellent quality at very high speeds.

“This facility will significantly enhance the already high quality of our daily newspapers in Grimsby, Hull, Lincoln and Scunthorpe.”