A PLANNING application to build a new and improved smokehouse near Wilmslow has been submitted to Cheshire East Council.
The Cheshire Smokehouse has been trading at Vost Farm, Morley Green, for 30 years, where visitors can buy their full range of their home-produced smoked foods, bakery goods, meat, charcuterie, cheese, and wine.
The current owners are looking to increase the size of their smokehouse and food production unit and create a viewing area so the public can watch the products being made.
The design and access statement, created by Up North Architects on behalf of the business, also proposes a new and fully accessible café with extensive indoor and outdoor seating.
The statement continues: “The Cheshire Smokehouse already operates a food production and retail facility on site.
“Significant opportunities exist to replace the outdated existing food production facility which could allow views to be opened up to adjacent fields and countryside. This could create an improved arrival experience, and any new building could mean the opportunity to create a new fully accessible café.
“An improved central landscaped space for customer parking could be created, which could reduce the amount of tarmac and improve surface permeability.
“The existing tree line to the south can be utilised to ‘screen’ any new building, and this could be further consolidated with further landscape to maintain privacy.
"A rationalised site could provide better customer parking and segregate the movements of customers and large delivery vehicles, and provide a better and safer overall experience.”
The Cheshire Smokehouse has been operating at the Morley Green site since 1992, and currently employs 36 staff.
The business has been in same family for five generations, and current owner, Darren Wright, prides himself on supporting local farmers and other producers in supplying retail customers, local shops, cafes and restaurants across Cheshire and beyond.
Darren said: “Sustainability is at the heart of the improvement plans, from solar panels and cycle facilities to creating a new, fully landscaped car park area with tree planting and green space.”
“Visitors will be able to watch the smoking process in our new food production facility and get an insight into the way we work.”
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