Tiptree jam firm future more secure

A 127-year-old Essex jam-making company says its future in a village is more secure after it was told it could apply to build housing on its land.

Wilkin & Sons in Tiptree wanted to build a new factory in the village, but wanted to sell land for housing in order to finance the £28m project.

The company has put in plans to build a factory, sewage plant and 244 houses.

Colchester Borough Council said the planning application would go before committee at the end of March.

Ian Thurgood, joint managing director of the company said the current factory site and land next to the factory would be sold to developers.

He said they were now able to "start planning in earnest for a new factory in Tiptree".

Last year the firm said if it could not get planning permission for the homes it would have to look at moving the main production factory out of the village.