PART of Senator International's £5 million expansion plan involves the burning of unwanted furniture to heat the company's buildings.

The global furniture giant has applied for planning permission for extra warehousing space next to its chair factory on Huncoat Industrial Estate, alongside the creation of a lorry park and a garage to service the firm's fleet.

The expansion could create 50 jobs and allow the facility to become the firm's export hub.

Now, commercial director Paul Clarke has revealed a large biomass boiler is also planned.

He said furniture recycled by the company, collected from businesses around the UK, will be ground to crumb and burned.

"It will heat the water that will in turn heat all our buildings in Huncoat.

"We have been doing it in Altham, where the business' headquarters is based, for 17 years."

The company, which turned over around £122 million last year, expects to save approximately £50,000 a year on its energy bills if the plans are approved.

The warehouse at Huncoat will be extended by just over 3,000m2, while the garage, used to service the firm's own fleet, would contain five inspection pits, a body shop, a staff room, and storage.

A lorry park with room for up to 45 trucks would also be developed on derelict land that used to be part of the Buchan concrete works.