Cawingredients: Soft drink giant unveils further plans to expand base onto arable farmland in North Yorkshire

If approved, Cawingredients’ application to North Yorkshire Council extend its plant would see it construct two storage buildings, a raised walkway, a car park, a dock leveller and other infrastructure at Leeming Bar Industrial Estate, off junction 51 of the A1(M).

The proposal to consolidate its storage and distribution facilities has been lodged after a scheme to build premises for a further 18 businesses at the 37-hectare industrial estate was given the go-ahead earlier this year.

In the summer Cawingredients lodged a request with the council to consider what specialist studies would be needed when it submits a proposal for a 525,000sq ft factory across 18.5 hectares of arable farmland beside the industrial estate.

The latest application states the Cawingredients factory is already “one of the most technologically advanced soft drinks facilities in the country” and with some 400 full-time staff is operating at full capacity.

The planning documents highlight how the firm has recruited 65 per cent of its employees from the former Hambleton district area, while the other employees commute significant distances to the factory, from Leeds, Harrogate and the North-East.

The papers state: “Cawingredients pride themselves on being a good employer that trains and develops staff. The average full-time salary is approximately £34,000 per annum. It is important to highlight that no staff are on zero-hour contracts.

“Cawingredients’ presence in Leeming Bar is of clear social and economic benefit to North Yorkshire, supporting the growth of the local economy and delivering jobs for local people.”

The documents add sources of new noise from the proposed development – from an increase in car and HGV movements at the site – would be “somewhat mitigated” by the screening from one of the storage buildings as well as an acoustic barrier enclosing the area.

While other proposals by the firm and to expand the industrial estate have generated significant local controversy, the latest plans have attracted no objections from residents.

In its response to the application Aiskew and Leeming Bar Parish Council said it wanted “assurance that the mitigating noise levels will be lowered because of its close proximity to residents’ houses”.