Business

Carmarthenshire cheese factory owner speaks out in bad odour row

Published

7 months ago

May 2, 2024

Richard Youle - Local Democracy Reporter

THE DIRECTOR of a mozzarella factory which supports 140 dairy farmers has insisted he wants to be a good neighbour following complaints from a small number of people about noise and odour.

Steve Welch, of Dairy Partners Ltd, said acoustic barriers were installed in February to dampen the noise of liquid natural gas (LNG) deliveries at the site in Aberarad, near Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire. He said the company employed 75 people and served a growing market. “We’re expanding – that’s an indicator of our success,” he said.

Environment regulator Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had visited three months earlier, in December 2023, and found that the noise of pressurised LNG deliveries did not comply with Dairy Partners’ site permit. The NRW officer’s report said there was “an offensive and continual tonal noise originating from the direction of LNG tanker and LNG tank”, but no odour problem was detected.

NRW issued what’s known as a compliance assessment report in February this year requiring the company to take action. The regulator said this wasn’t the same as a formal enforcement notice, and that it was continuing to monitor noise and undertaking “detailed dialogue” with Dairy Partners.

Mr Welch said the LNG supplier it had been using exited the market last autumn. This supplier, he said, had a “silent” gravity-fed tanker which took six to eight hours to complete its delivery. He said all the available alternative LNG suppliers used a pressurised delivery system which was quicker, reduced the risk of spillage and was more economically viable. The company switched to the pressurised delivery system, which led to complaints about the accompanying noise.

Mr Welch said Dairy Partners tried using different tankers and built a wooden pallet stack to try to mitigate noise before investing in the sound-dampening panels, which he said made a big difference. He added that Dairy Partners was working with NRW to modify its site permit to reflect the use of the pressurised LNG deliveries.

Site manager Daryl White said liquid natural gas powered the factory and that there was one delivery per week during daytime hours between Monday and Friday, lasting one hour.

Dairy Partners measures the decibel level of LNG deliveries and Mr Welsh said the noise rated as “moderate to soft” when heard at the nearby roadside. A resident living just across the road, Megan Ceiriog-Jones, said she had recorded a higher decibel level, and that the sound of other operations such as night-time “venting” which she had recorded on video were disruptive. “The noise videos are just a sample of noise complaints that are sent to NRW on a regular basis,” she said.

Dairy Partners said further noise-dampening measures would be added as a condition of planning approvals for wastewater and cleaning tanks which were decided by Carmarthenshire Council’s planning committee last month. A handful of objectors opposed the retrospective applications, including Ms Ceiriog-Jones and Stephen Rees, who both addressed the committee. Ms Ceiriog-Jones said the effects of “noise and sleeplessness are hard to quantify”, while Mr Rees said the reality for residents living by the cheese factory was “considerable disruption”. Ward councillor Hazel Evans addressed the committee to say that Dairy Partners was a large contributor to the local economy and that she was reassured by the many planning conditions proposed by the planning department. She said she understood that some nearby residents weren’t happy, although they didn’t wish to see the factory close.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Welch said the company logged all complaints, had attempted to talk to Ms Ceiriog-Jones, and wanted to have a positive relationship. He said: “We want to be good neighbours.”

Mr Welch said cheese had been made at the site since 1938, with previous owners including Canadian firms Saputo and McCain Foods, and an Egyptian family business.

Site manager Mr White said the factory was “on its knees” when Dairy Partners took over in 2013 and began investing in it and increasing production.

Every year around 200 million litres of milk arrives at the site from 140 nearby dairy farms. Nine hours after arriving the milk is turned into 2.5kg blocks of mozzarrella cheese, with the separated whey sent to another company where it is dried and sold in powdered sports nutrition products. Cream is also produced at the Aberarad site.

“Making cheese is really technical,” said Mr Welch, who is one of three Dairy Partners directors. “You’te taking milk and turning it into a stretchable cooking product which has a lot of different characteristics. You’re manipulating proteins, sugars and minerals in a reproducible product.”

Varying levels of salt can be added to the cheese blocks, which move slowly along a tray system in a brine solution before being packaged ready for onward delivery. Around a third of it ends up overseas in countries including Lebanon and China.

Mr Welch said the site produced around 22,000 tonnes of mozzarella and pizza cheese per year, and that it hoped to expand this to as much as 35,000 tonnes. He said the 75 jobs were highly skilled and that many more indirect jobs relied on the site. Mr White said haulage business Mansel Davies & Son had around 40 drivers who delivered to and collected from the Aberarad site.

Dairy Partners, which also has a base in Gloucestershire where its cheese is shredded, has an annual turnover of around £140 million. “The market is expanding – we can’t keep up,” said Mr Welch. “We’ve got to keep producing, and we are never going to be silent.”

Business

Roch Castle wins awards at the Historic Hotels of Europe ceremony in Prague

Published

6 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ROCH CASTLE near St Davids is proud to announce its recent wins at the Historic Hotels of
Europe Awards, held in the heart of Prague.

Adelle and Johanna, representing Roch Castle, accepted two distinguished accolades for the entire team: Historic Eco Hotel of the Year and the Silver Award for Historic Castle Hotel of the Year.

The Historic Eco Hotel of the Year award recognises Roch Castle’s dedication to sustainable
hospitality, a core value shared by staff and visitors.

This award celebrates the castle’s eco-friendly practices and commitment to preserving the environment while offering a luxury
experience steeped in history.

The Silver Award for Historic Castle Hotel of the Year also honours Roch Castle’s unique ability to provide guests with an unforgettable stay in an authentic and beautifully restored 12th-century castle.

The management gave a heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who supported Roch Castle and voted in the awards.

Special recognition is due to our exceptional team, whose hard work and dedication
made these achievements possible.

For more details on Roch Castle or to experience this award-winning destination for yourself,
visit our website at www.rochcastle.com, email [email protected] or call 01437 725 566.

Business

New Lidl supermarket planned for village of New Hedges

Published

8 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

BUDGET supermarket giant Lidl could be building a new store near a Pembrokeshire seaside town with the promise of 40 jobs, and is seeking the public’s views following the launch of a consultation.

Lidl is exploring plans to develop a new food store on land off the A478, near the entrance to Park House Court in the village New Hedges, close to Tenby.

Earlier this year, the German supermarket giant said it was keen to open at a new location in Pembroke Dock, where it already has a store, along with hopes to build a new store in Tenby.

There are currently three Lidl stores in Pembrokeshire, at Pembroke Dock, Haverfordwest and Milford Haven, the latter of which has recently been given the go-ahead for a new revamped store.

Lidl has now launched an online consultation for the proposals, with a public information event due to take place on December 4 at De Valence Pavilion, Upper Frog Street, Tenby between 3 and 7pm.

In the consultation documents, Lidl says: “Lidl GB is seeking views regarding proposals for a new foodstore on land off the A478, Narberth Road in New Hedges near Tenby.

“A new Lidl store at this site would increase local shopping choice, create up to 40 new jobs, and offer high quality products at great prices.

“The planning application will consider a range of matters including design, landscaping and highways.”

It says the proposed store would be “built to our very latest specification, including modern in-store facilities like Lidl’s popular bakery, a 1,334 sqm sales area, and customer toilets with baby changing facilities”.

The scheme proposes 103 parking spaces, including six accessible, nine parent and child bays, and covered cycle parking, along with “enhanced environmental features including solar panels on the roof and rapid electric vehicle chargers for two vehicles in the parking area,” adding: “Lidl has an ongoing commitment to enhance the sustainability of its stores.”

It says the scheme, if approved, would create “up to 40 jobs for local people including full and part-time roles, with entry-level staff receiving Lidl’s competitive £12.40 per hour starting pay”.

The consultation says community leaflets, including feedback forms, will be arriving soon.

Following the consultation a formal application is expected to be lodged with Pembrokeshire County Council planners for consideration at a later date.

Business

Fresh plans for £2m holiday pods at Pembrokeshire deer park

Published

14 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for £2m plans for wheelchair accessible holiday lodges at the site of a Pembrokeshire deer park attraction have been resubmitted after they were previously withdrawn on the eve of a meeting recommending they be refused.

In an application submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr and Mrs Evans seek permission for 15 lodges at Great Wedlock, Gumfreston, near Tenby, the site of a 176-acre deer farm attraction, opened last year, and a recently-granted market traders’ barn.

An earlier application was recommended for refusal by officers at the July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, but, at the start of that meeting, members heard the application had been withdrawn at the agent’s behest.

Reasons for refusal given to members included it was outside of an identified settlement boundary in a countryside location, it was considered to have an adverse impact on visual amenity and did not include a Green Infrastructure statement.

In a supporting statement, the applicants had said: “Over the last 48 years, my wife and I have developed holiday parks firstly in Pembrokeshire and then throughout the UK. We decided to return to Pembrokeshire where it all started for us in 1976, to develop the deer park and are now looking to develop the wheelchair accessible lodge development, to support our business and for the benefit of Pembrokeshire and its economy.

“In 2020 we bought Great Wedlock Farm and set about applying for planning permission to open the farm to the public to provide a new tourism destination and allow visitors to re-connect with the countryside and natural beauty Pembrokeshire has to offer. The deer were purchased from Woburn Abbey and some from the late Queen’s estate (to ensure the highest quality of deer breeding stock). We opened the deer park in May 2023 with a great emphasis on catering for disabled persons and the elderly.”

They have previously said build costs to complete the development would be circa £2m.

St Florence Community Council did not support the previous application, saying there was no evidence of need for the accommodation, raising concerns about the impact on exiting holiday accommodation, and the design which it says should consider all disability groups not just those in a wheelchair.

Following the withdrawal, amended proposals have now been submitted by the applicants through agent Atriarc Planning, following a consultation recently held with St Florence Community Council.

A supporting statement by the agent says: “Following the meeting, the plans have been revised to create a less linear arrangement with further landscaping provided on site. The new lodge arrangement has been revised to create a less structured environment whilst also providing for a higher degree of natural landscaping.

“A new ‘Pembrokeshire’ hedgerow (circa 222m) is now provided along the site boundary to the west and minor infill hedge to the south. Along with the proposed planting, the placement of the units also creates a site layout, which would limit further access to the wider lands under the applicant’s ownership (therefore constraining any future extension of the site, to seek to allay the community council’s primary concern of further development on site).”

It says the amended plans were re-presented to the Community Council in October, and it “noted to the applicant it was now in a position to support the proposed development”.