CAR giant Jaguar Land Rover brought some welcome good news to the economy yesterday by announcing 1,000 new jobs as part of its drive to boost production over the next five years.

The company, owned by Indian firm Tata, said it expected thousands of applications for production staff and skilled tradesmen and women at its Land Rover plant in Solihull, West Midlands.

The jobs are being created in support of the business’s ambition to deliver 40 “significant product actions” over the next five years under a multibillion-pound investment in product creation, likely to include a new Range Rover model.

The Government, unions and business leaders welcomed the news, saying it demonstrated the commitment of global investors to the UK.

Jaguar Land Rover employs almost 20,000 workers in the UK, including 5,000 in Solihull, and yesterday’s move is the latest in a series of job creation announcements this year.

The car-maker said in September it was to create up to 750 jobs at a new factory on a site near Wolverhampton.