Muller yoghurt factory in north Shropshire town set for 'significant investment' after expansion approved
A plan to expand production facilities at a Market Drayton yoghurt factory has been given the go-ahead by council planners.
The scheme, put forward last month by Muller UK and Ireland for its Shrewsbury Road factory, will see an existing building at the site redeveloped to provide extra storage, food production and distribution facilities.
A total of eight jobs could be created by the development, which was approved by council planners on March 10.
The changes will see the footprint of the existing fruit puree plant expanded to around 2,000 square metres with the addition of a new "silo farm", as well as the demolition of the building's internal floors and "the majority of all internal furniture and fittings."
As part of the plans, 11 new silos will also be installed to the outside of the building - which would be visible from nearby Shrewsbury Road.
But Shropshire Council's planning officers decided that the development would not have any impact on residents, and would also not affect the overall appearance and character of the "large industrial factory" on the western edge of Market Drayton.
"The existing facility, owned by Muller UK and Ireland Group, has been used for the production of fruit puree by Muller for over 10 years and remains operational," said the officers' report.
"The existing facility is to be retained as part of the redevelopment, with exterior works being limited to the immediate adjacent of the building.
"The proposed silos are tall, although they are lower in height and significantly smaller in scale than the existing building... The proposed location of the silos are on an area of existing hardstanding so will not impact or result in the loss of any landscaping or impact on ecology."
Earlier this month, councillors in Market Drayton had thrown their weight behind the scheme at a town council planning meeting, with deputy mayor Tim Manton describing the Muller proposals as a "significant investment" in the town.
"From the perspective of Muller putting their trust and further foundations into Market Drayton, it is fantastic for the town and community that they are happy to put large investment into their factory here," he said.
Onsite changes also include the redesign of an existing access road to the building, which will see the loss of around 16 parking spaces.
A spokesperson for Muller UK and Ireland said: "We are committed to supporting the local Shropshire community and investing in our existing sites, as we continue to focus on growth and delivering high-quality products to the nation.
"We’re excited about this site development and look forward to sharing more details in due course."
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.