Pharmaceutical giant GSK has cancelled plans for a £350 million manufacturing plant in Cumbria.

In an update earlier this week, the company revealed it decided not to proceed with it's planned investment to build a biopharmaceutical facility in Ulverston as it "no longer needs the additional capacity".

GSK added that the decision was not due to the UK's decision to leave the European Union.

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Philip Thomson, President, Global Affairs, GSK, said: "We are continuing to invest in science and our core businesses in the UK and we continue to see the UK as an attractive place for the life sciences industry. We are working constructively with the Government and others to develop an ambitious plan for the sector as part of the UK's new industrial strategy."

Reacting to the announcement, South Lakeland District Councillor, Graham Vincent, said the local authority is "shocked and disappointed" by the news.

"We have been in meetings and discussions with GSK in the last few weeks about unrelated matters and there was no suggestion that this announcement was on the horizon," he said.

(LM)