A HUNDRED jobs are to be created in Frating in an expansion of its book distribution depot.

The Book Service distribution centre has been at the Colchester Road site for more than 20 years.

It is responsible for distributing books published by the Penguin Random House Group.

In addition to book distribution, it is also home to some finance and technology departments.

In total, some 600 staff are employed there, with additional seasonal agency staff during busy periods such as the run up to Christmas.

At the end of last year, Penguin Random House announced it would move from having three distribution depots to two.

A centre in Rugby would close, leaving depots in Frating and Grantham.

The two remaining centres will be responsible for handling about 140 million books a year- ensuring they reach bookshops and customers around the UK.

Best-Sellers which have been packed and distributed by the Frating depot this year include the worldwide number one by Paula Hawkins, The Girl on a Train, and books by authors such as Lee Child, Jilly Cooper, Bill Bryson and Guy Martin.

The hundred jobs will be created during 2017 will be across distribution, customer services, credit services and technology.

Some “minor ongoing building work” will take place to accommodate the extra staff.

As part of the process, the company submitted a planning application to Tendring Council for an extra 40 parking spaces in its car park.

The application said the company is looking to boost car share, but the extra spaces would “ensure that they have a robust facility.”

However, Random House told the Gazette that even without the extra car parking, the 100 jobs would still be coming to Frating.

A spokesman added: “The Book Service in Frating is key to ensuring that the millions of best sellers published in the UK each year by Penguin Random House are delivered to readers across the county and this expansion will ensure that we continue to meet the demand of our customers and readers.”