Britain's biggest butter factory bid backed for Market Drayton

Diary giant Muller Wiseman has been given the go-ahead to build the plant at the Tern Valley Business Park in Market Drayton by Shropshire Council planning officers using delegated powers.

About 100 jobs will be created at the factory, which will use 90,000 tons of cream from the Muller Wiseman group each year to make up to 45,000 tons of butter.

The plant will be the largest butter factory in the country.

A spokesman for Muller Wiseman said: "We are pleased to have won approval for our plans to site Britain's largest butter plant here at Market Drayton.

"We look forward to commissioning the plant this autumn and continuing to develop our business in Shropshire."

Today the mayor of Market Drayton, Councillor Steve Glover, described the news as a 'big boost' for the town.

He said: "As a council we have always been 100 per cent behind the plans.

"The creation of around 100 jobs in a big boost for the town. The opportunity for local employment during a recession is great news for everybody. It's another bit of good news which puts Market Drayton on the map so I am delighted."

Mark Whittle, chairman of the town's chamber of trade, said: "I'm absolutely over the moon this has been passed. Muller Wiseman is a company with a worldwide reputation so to see it expand in Market Drayton is great. It means more jobs in the town which is very, very good news."

Plans for the butter plant involve remodelling an existing factory, creating a two-storey extension and building 14 new silos.

The new butter plant will be built in an existing bottling plant at the back of the site on Shrewsbury Road and the size of the building will be increased by more than eight per cent.

A statement put forward by council officers says: "The proposal is considered to protect the natural, built and historic environment, and is appropriate in scale, density, pattern and design taking into account the local context and character."