A deal to bring 500 jobs to Ross-on-Wye is "very close" and could be completed within a month, according to Herefordshire Council.

Mr Alexander Pinskiy, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Economic Development, and Mr Ihor Kroll, President of Market-Mats, a Ukrainian aerospace company, visited Model Farm at Hildersley, on Thursday. The delegation's visit was part of the negotiations to locate the proposed manufacturing plant in the town.

Upon completion of any deal, Herefordshire Council expects the site to be "open and operational within two to three years", with 200-450 people employed to manufacture components for a civil cargo plane.

The total investment would be around £300m and will occupy 10 hectares (25 acres) of designated Employment land at the Model Farm site. The site appeals to the firm because of its location – the components are to be sent to Cardiff or Bristol so that the AN74 cargo plane can be assembled.

Geoff Hughes, Herefordshire Council's Director of Sustainable Communities, told the Gazette: "We don't want to count our chickens, as these negotiations have been ongoing for a while, but we're confident a deal is very close, possibly within the next month or two."

Councillor Roger Phillips, Herefordshire Council's Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Culture, said: "This is a very exciting prospect. Herefordshire has not seen this level of investment for many, many years.

"We anticipate a variety of jobs. Like any company, they will need people on the shop floor, people for detailed assembly, supervisors and managers.

"There aren't any jobs specifically ear-marked for local people, but of course local people will have the opportunity to apply for them when they are initially offered."

For the rest of this story please see this week's Ross Gazette.