PLANS by a hi-tech Newcastle Emlyn pharmaceutical firm to invest £2m in a new facility in Cilgerran have been welcomed as a real coup for the area.

MicroPharm Ltd develops immunotherapy products to target infectious diseases and acute toxic conditions and is to build manufacturing clean room facilities in the village, creating 15 new jobs and securing 14 others.

It employs more than 50 people in total and will retain its base in Newcastle Emlyn as it looks to expand.

The site to be developed, opposite the Masons Arms pub, was a former sawmill and then used as warehousing for clothing.

Cilgerran county councillor John Davies said: “The village is excited that there is a good quality, reliable employment opportunity coming along.

“This site has been redundant for many years but historically employed a lot of people.

“The challenge for local government is to attract these type of companies by providing the right infrastructure, with good communications and superfast broadband. We have to get that right to meet their expectations.

“This is a high-end technology company and for them to choose this site is wonderful news.”

MicroPharm Ltd currently produces two anti-venoms for the treatment of snakebites from the European common adder and the carpet viper in West Africa.

It is also working on finding treatments for devastating diseases like Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) and Ebola.