New plans revealed for former home of celebrated Lancashire cheesemaker
The site has a planning condition restricting its use to cheesemaking.
A former Lancashire cheesemaking dairy could be turned into a mixed business site, if new plans are passed.
An application has been tabled with Ribble Valley Borough Council (RVBC) to change the use of buildings at the former Leagram Organic Dairy at High Head Barn in Moss Lane, Chipping, to a welding and fabrication workshop, to erect a storage building, and to remove a personal condition restricting use to Mr W R Kitching in connection with cheese manufacturing.
Leagram Organic Dairy was set up Bob Kitching in 2000, and was a driving force behind the Lancashire cheese revival, winning many awards for their organic products. Bob died in 2013, but the company continued until January 31, 2023, with family members announcing their ‘heartbreaking sadness’ on Facebook. They said: “The dairy was dads dream and we've done as much as we could to keep his legacy alive but at the cost of our own health and wellbeing.”
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Now the latest application “seeks to establish a lawful and flexible employment use appropriate to the building and its rural context”.
It states that applicant, Andrew Hodkinson, needs to relocate his business from its current site, following the refusal of a Certificate of Existing Lawful Use and the dismissal of a subsequent appeal, stating: “There is a clear and immediate need to secure a suitable site from which the business can continue to operate. Without an alternative base, the continued operation of the business would be a risk, with associated economic implications.”
The proposed storage building, which will provide storage of agricultural machinery and equipment associated with the agricultural contracting element of the enterprise, will be of an agricultural form, constructed using a steel portal frame and profiled cladding in colour, aimed at reflecting the character of rural buildings and minimising landscape impact.
A decision will be made in coming weeks by RVBC.
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