Wormegay: Plans to expand Alfred Pearce veg processing plant

Alfred G Pearce has applied for planning permission to erect a new cold store building and change of use of an existing cold store building to a packing shed on its site at Wormegay, near King's Lynn.

West Norfolk Council's planning committee has been recommended to approve the proposals when it meets on Monday, July 31.

Wormegay Parish Council objects to the plans. It says people living around the plant, on Castle Road, are being disturbed by noise and activity on the site at night.

The entrance to the Alfred G Peace plant at Wormegay (Image: Google)

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A report to councillors says seven letters of objection have also been received.

One states: "A new larger, noisy cold store and separate packing store is bound to attract even more HGV vehicles that bring more noise and traffic congestion to this very small village."

The report says the demand for packaged vegetables has increased over recent years.

It adds: "To meet this increasing demand, the applicant wishes to enlarge their packing facilities.

"The purpose of the proposed development is therefore not to increase production, but to allow changes to be made to production methods to meet customer demand."

The report says the new packing shed would be located at the rear of the site and shielded from neighbours by the main factory building.

It adds: "The types of food preparation and packing machinery proposed would not be noisy and would be contained within the building."

The report says the changes will not generate additional HGV traffic, while the siting of the new cold store will reduce fork lift vehicle movements across the site.

An earth bund has also been included in the plans to screen properties to the north of the site.