Manufacture of cheese to return to old industrial site
PLANS for a new cafe and creamery on a vacant industrial area next to a Somerset railway station have been approved.
The planning documents show that the new retailer will be installed behind the Castle Cary station and near the A371, on a factory site that was once used for dairy processing.
The planning application was approved by South Somerset District Council, with a number of ecology conditions in place.
The former milk and cheese factory was built in 1910 to make use of the rail links to transport dairy products between the South West and London.
Emily Estate, which owns the nearby tourist attraction and hotel The Newt in Somerset, lodged a planning application to convert the area into a coworking office space, a cheese-making facility, a milk-processing facility, and a cafe open to the public.
Emily Estate bought the site in 2018, before which it had been used for a variety of “short-term uses” including car storage, an antiques shop and a wine bar.
The main building is described as being in a condition that “could benefit from investment and upgrading”, while the site as a whole “presents a poorquality appearance of vacancy and inactivity”.
The design statement reads: “The owner’s vision is for the creamery site to once again be economically productive, and attractive to those passing through the railway station.
“Cheese will once again be made in the building using locally sourced milk, as part of the wider food and beverage operation of The Newt.
“The introduction of an artisan or small-scale milk processing plant will support and celebrate high-quality local produce and products.”
The building and new landscaped gardens are intended for locals and visitors, with a flexible co-working office space aimed at individuals or small companies, and a cafe serving food and drink.
The site is also intended to be incorporated into The Newt in Somerset’s tourism offering, as an “initial arrivals hub” for guests travelling from the railway station.
The application states that arrangements are under way with Great Western Rail to offer visitors a package trip to The Newt by rail, with arriving and departing guests passing through this proposed site via minibuses.