Fish factory plans likely to be approved

Major plans for a fish factory, eel farm, restaurant and visitor centre look set to be given planning permission.

Severn and Wye Smokery's plans for the Pine End Works site to the north of Harbour Road, near Lydney Harbour, will be debated by Forest of Dean District Council on 13 August.

The plans also include an energy centre, staff accommodation, and two water treatment lagoons.

Planning officers recommend delegated permission be granted subject to the completion of a legal agreement which secures £10,000 for travel plan monitoring.

Severn and Wye Smokery employs 240 staff across several premises including Chaxhill in Gloucestershire, and in Wiltshire, and Lincolnshire, which, it said, is highly inefficient and imposes extra costs, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The company says it wants to diversify the business and make it more resilient by building the eel farm, for both human consumption and conservation, and preparing more smoked meats and cheeses, which will need separate premises but could remain at Chaxhill.

The firm has decided to close its Grimsby, Salisbury and Walmore Hill sites and plans to relocate the fish processing and headquarters function from Chaxhill to Lydney.

The smokery hopes to construct a purpose-designed eel farm building while retaining its Chaxhill site for the barn, restaurant, shop and the smokery buildings for non-fish products.

It said this will result in millions of pounds of investment in Lydney and will secure the long-term future of the smokery and 240 jobs.

Five people have written in support of the plans, saying it is a fantastic idea for the derelict land and will turn Lydney into a "destination town".

But 13 objectors said roads in the area need resurfacing and entry to the site needs improving.

They added the homes would "result in a densely populated area on the outskirts of a small town".

Planning officers said their recommendation for approval is very finely balanced given the proposals' impact on the listed Naas House and its associated barn.

“It is the opinion of officers that the merits of the scheme outweigh the concerns and as such a positive recommendation can be made," they said.

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