Maldon Sea Salt to double its production with new HQ

The new site is expected to be operational by the end of the year

Essex's famous Maldon Sea Salt firm said it can now double production after its expansion plans were approved.

Maldon District Council granted permission for a new headquarters, packaging and distribution centre, at Oval Park in Langford.

Production currently takes place in Goldhanger and salt is stored and checked at its Wycke Hill site before export to more than 60 countries.

The company said it was on an "ambitious growth trajectory".

Queen Elizabeth II visited Maldon Seat Salt in 2010 - and the firm was granted a Royal Warrant as official purveyors of sea salt two years later

The new site at Oval Park will replace the Wycke Hill site in Maldon and was expected to be operational by the end of this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A design and access statement from architects Barefoot & Gilles said: "The Maldon Crystal Salt Company is expanding its operation to keep up with demand.

"Recent investment in infrastructure will see the company doubling its production capacity to keep pace with this ever increasing demand.

"Once production is fully operational further investment in infrastructure such as storage, packaging and distribution will be required."

Nick Davey, agent for Maldon Sea Salt, said: "The company wants to stay in the district and after searching for a number of years has identified Oval Park as the place where it wants to be."

'Iconic companies'

The council also approved plans for a new headquarters for Tecniq - a technology design, engineering and manufacturing business for the high-end car sector.

An outline application for a self-contained business park, which the developers claim has the potential to create around 200 jobs in companies of a variety of sizes, was also agreed at a planning meeting last week.

There was also an agreement for a new 148-space car park, with the existing 136 car parking spaces earmarked for the new developments.

Councillor Sue White said: "For me these are iconic companies. They are on a business site. We need to promote jobs, we need to promote security, we need to promote the brand of Maldon because for me these are the brands of Maldon."