DAIRY Crest, the company behind Davidstow creamery has received support from Camelford Town Council after presenting plans for upgrades to the existing factory and creamery, as well as outline planning permission for improvements to the waste water treatment facilities.

A representative from Dairy Crest and a representative from Highways attended the meeting of Camelford Town Council on Tuesday, March 19, to seek approval from councillors for the plans to the Dairy Crest Creamery in Davidstow.

This comes after a recent take over by Canadian dairy giant Suputo back in February.

The Dairy Crest spokesperson handed out printed copies of the plans to councillors, and stated that the council had now been ‘formally consulted’. She explained that the outline planning is for improvements to the waste water treatment plant, which is to the east of the site, while the creamery sits to the west.

The meeting heard that the existing waste water treatment plant would be fully operational while the construction of the new plant is carried out, with phase two seeing the existing plant ‘being levelled’.

“The Environment Agency, we’re in full flow with them. We’re working with them to come up with a plan that they’re happy with,” the spokesperson said. The meeting also heard that an air quality assessment ‘is not required’ as Camelford is already an air quality management zone. The representative from Highways explained that they have accepted the proposals as ‘any construction traffic wouldn’t go through Camelford’.

He also explained that Highways could present a contribution to the area for the feasibility study for the Camelford bypass, which would be around £50,000.

Thus far, the proposals have received eight objecting and 12 supporting comments on the planning website.

Cllr Andy Shaw was the first to comment on the application. He said: “I think it’s a good thing. It will secure Davidstow’s future.

“One thing I have noticed is there are quite a vocal few that are complaining about a particular odour coming from this site. What is the storage capacity?”

The spokesperson from Dairy Crest said that she did not have exact figures to hand, but added: “We can’t treat it simultaneously all the time. As part of the application, they have closed that (the tanks producing the smell). They’re doing something about it.”

She added that the old system appeared to have ‘not been properly delivered’. With experts in waste milk working with Dairy Crest on the plans, she reassured the council that the ‘new waste part is all enclosed’ within the plans.

Cllr Shaw proposed to accept the plans, with the seconder being Cllr Lauren Rathbone.