ULVERSTON'S GlaxoSmithKline has said that it is 'business as usual' following the news that it has shelved multimillion pound plans for a biopharmaceutical facility.

Key stakeholders met in the town's Coronation Hall last week to discuss the future of the business' presence in the town.

"It was a constructive meeting – we are working closely with the local stakeholders in UIverston," David Daley, a spokesman for GSK said. "No decisions have yet been made about the future of our cephalosporins business, including Ulverston. We are still at the early stages of data gathering – this is a globally diverse business – and we expect an outcome sometime in 2018."

Doubt was also cast over the future of the existing site and its 345 employees, as the company announced that it was considering selling parts of the business and associated manufacturing facilities.

"In the meantime, it is business as usual and we are focused on delivering our manufacturing schedule and meeting patient need. We continue to invest in the site and recruit high quality roles," the spokesperson said.

Graham Vincent, Economy and Assets Portfolio Holder for South Lakeland District Council said that the council's priority was with GSK workers.

"The main aim is to try and protect the jobs of the existing workforce," he said. "There's no blame here, it's absolutely a commercial decision and how GSK see their future."

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock organised a meeting of key stakeholders last week, bringing together the taskforce in order to work on 'finding the best possible solution for the workforce and the wider community in Ulverston'.

“We had an extremely productive first full meeting, with updates on progress from GSK, the unions and the council," Mr Woodcock said. "I was reassured to hear that new apprentices will continue to be recruited at the site and that the workforce will be kept informed about developments.

"My next step is to secure a meeting with government ministers to see how we can get the central government fully plugged in to this and harness their resources and influence in the months ahead. I know the community in Ulverston is behind us in this task and I will keep people fully updated about the progress we are making."