Lincolnshire food factory plan approval could create 250 jobs

The new facility will be built on the former McCain's factory site on Burton Lane, Easton, near Grantham

Plans have been approved for a Lincolnshire food factory that could create more than 250 jobs.

The facility would be built on the former McCain's factory site on Burton Lane, Easton, near Grantham.

It would sit alongside a £130m cold storage facility, which is due to be completed later this year.

South Kesteven District Council granted planning permission for the development, which includes upgrading a waste water treatment plant.

The McCain's factory, which closed in 2020, resulted in the loss of 230 jobs.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Independent councillor Tim Harrison praised the proposal, saying that the employment benefits it would bring to the region would be "brilliant".

A letter from Conservative ward councillor David Bellamy was also read out in the meeting, explaining that he was pleased to hear that the application would "bring very real economic benefits to the area".

However, he did raise some concerns regarding the cumulative lorry traffic from all three aspects of the site.

The new food production facility is expected to create an estimated 254 direct full-time equivalent jobs and generate an annual added value estimated at £16.6m.

During the meeting, Sam Cordery, representing the applicant, stated that the development would allow food production to be consolidated on a single site, rather than the current process of storing in one place and transporting elsewhere, which they feel is a "very inefficient process".

He explained that the current method can cause transport issues and is a costly operation, ultimately affecting consumers.

The applicant is also in discussions with Lincolnshire County Council regarding plans to upgrade the 1971 waste water treatment facility and deliver a new anaerobic digestion facility.