Plans for major maltings expansion criticised as ‘out of keeping’ with area

Matthew Champion (Image: submitted)

Crisp Maltings, a speciality maltings company, based in Great Ryburgh, near Fakenham, has unveiled plans for a major expansion of its site.

The planning application, which was submitted to North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) last month, includes:

• A 60,000 sqft warehouse

• 15 3,000-tonne silos

• A new access road for HGVs

• A housing development of 50 homes and community facilities

• Further expansion of the maltings site, which is located to the north of Fakenham Road.

READ MORE: Major expansion at Crisp Maltings could see new silos and 50 homes built

But Matthew Champion, who led a court battle against a previous development the firm hoped to create, expressed reservations about the plans.

“Last time when we objected to the application, 90pc of the village was behind us,” he said.

“We support Crisp Maltings - the problem is the HGVs, They have increased massively over the last decade. We have a narrow street running through the village and it’s not wide enough for two cars in places, let alone two HGVs.

“The plans have a new access route and I’m sure a lot of people will welcome that.”

But Mr Champion said people would have concerns about the number of proposed new homes.

He said: “It’s about scale - I think a lot of other people will think it’s at too high a scale.

“It would be good to have starter homes and low cost housing.

“We’ve got a lot of holiday and second homes and we’ve seen that increasing in the past few years.

READ MORE: Great Ryburgh villagers lose legal fight against Crisp Maltings

“There’s a need but there’s a general feeling that something along that scale is going to be out of keeping.”

Managing director Adrian Dyter said 75 houses were planned at first, which was reduced by 33pc, to just 50, after consultation with residents and other parties.

He said: “Consultations have shown that this growth, of around 15pc of homes in Great Ryburgh, is sustainable.

“There is demand, not only among the families of people who live in the village, but also among members of Crisp’s workforce.

“We very much hope even those who are less enthusiastic about the proposals will accept we have done our best to get a balance between views, and in the long run, see the positives in terms of the investment in the village and its better long-term prospects.”

• A story on the plans for the Crisp Maltings expansion in yesterday’s Eastern Daily Press stated that the Supreme Court overturned an Appeal Court ruling on a previous, separate planning application by the firm, in 2015. The Supreme Court dismissed the ruling, but said the application should be permitted to go ahead. The firm has now made a lawful commencement of this permission, but to date has not delivered the full proposals.