Cider making on Woodplumpton farm goes before Preston Council planning bosses

Michelle Benfield of Ashover Cider Company Ltd, which is registered to an address in Ashover, Chesterfield, has applied to Preston City Council for retrospective permission to carry out the operations in a former pig barn at Spar House Farm in Lewth Lane, Woodplumpton.

According to the application the change of use began on June 15, 2020.

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Miss Benfield states: "The request is to change the use of a barn previously used to house pigs into a barn used to store apples and apple juice in order to make cider. This involves no alteration to the structure of the barn other than the wall sheets and roof sheets were replaced, refurbished and upgraded to meet environmental health standards to seal the building from pests and to make it secure and clean.

"The existing electrics and water have been updated and brought up to current standards, a fruit washer and press is housed there along with 40 IBC containers containing apple juice for cider."

What about traffic?

The application continues: “The change of use will mean three lorry loads of apples being delivered each year and a person working full time at the barn, which will no impact or increase in existing traffic to and from the farm as the only member of staff already lives on site at Spar House Farm and as it is a working farm provision is already given for trucks and farm machinery.

"The barn is within a functioning farm, apple waste will be disposed of along with the usual spreading of muck and slurry as an organic fertiliser on our own land used for sheep, cows and grazin. No hazardous products are used or produced.”

Environmental Health bosses have raised no objections

The cider

According to the Ashover Cider website, its cider is made using only 100 per cent pressed apples.

It’s made in the traditional way using the yeast from the apples and a wild ferment to produce a still, clear full flavour cider.

The cider is available at stockists in Derbyshire, online and at festivals across the country.