PLANS for a new butchery and office building at a landmark South Somerset estate have been approved – despite objections from some residents.

The Emily Estate, the company behind the renowned Newt attraction, has received permission from South Somerset District Council to construct two new buildings off the A359, Galhampton Hill.

The site, known as Avalon Farm, is the operational base for the nearby Newt.

Previously, the site had been used as a concrete processing facility and a haulage yard.

The plans set out an intention to build two new buildings – a butchery, food storage plant and an office building – alongside buildings currently used as accommodation for estate staff and other operations.

Now, an application to amend a previously approved scheme – changing the proposed use from food storage/office building to food production/office building – have been approved.

“The recent success and growth of the range of Estate businesses has been notable, and there are now over 300 people employed at the Estate, with over half of those employees living within a 10-mile radius,” the application said.

It added: “To date, due to the lack of suitable buildings at the Estate, some uses – particularly storage of stock and materials – have had to be rented off-site, including at Cadbury Business Park and at Wincanton. This creates operational issues and inefficiencies for the Estate.

“Alongside the continued growth of existing functions at the Estate, plans for further diversification continue, particularly in terms of increasing livestock and associated meat production, and new purpose-built facilities need to be created to house these elements of the business.

Photo: ADP/SSDC

“These requirements cannot be located elsewhere upon the Estate, and it also desirable for operational reasons to accommodate them as part of the existing cluster of activity at Avalon Farm.

“Specifically, the new food production element (replacing the warehouse use from the previous application, and a further small area within the food delivery building) will facilitate the preparation of the Estate’s produce for both internal use and outward distribution and will also include a bakery.

“It is beneficial to the Estate to have such a facility on site to ensure the efficient processing of the Estate’s food produce to allow it to be promptly distributed while fresh.”

However, the plans met some resistance from residents.

Patricia Hadow said: “This highly visible industrial site is already detrimental to the surrounding rural landscape.

“Continued development will create more noise and light pollution – possibly 24 hours a day – to the further detriment of both nearby houses, which will also suffer particularly from increased vehicle movements and light pollution not least from the re-positioned car park and the village of Galhampton, which sits at the foot of the hill below the site.

“The applicant persistently ignores the existence of the village and the multiple impacts of the site on the residents.

“The substantial carbon footprint created by all of this proposed storage/redistribution of produce from near and far is contrary to current enlightened practice.”

Photo: ADP/SSDC

Dr Michael Martin, of Galhampton, said: “This area is not designated as a site for business development.

“If granted it will increase traffic in the area, continue the blight of noise and sight to this once pleasant area.

“There is a business park down the road which has been designated for this kind of development – let them move there.

“The residents of Galhampton do not deserve this steady and insiduous growth.”

The scheme was approved by South Somerset District Council on February 8.