Milking it…

Mick George Ltd gets to grips with former dairy works.

Mick George Ltd has begun demolition works on the former Dairy Crest site in Fenstanton, which lies adjacent to the A14 carriageway. The project will be subject to a housing redevelopment by Morris Homes.

Conditional planning consent was granted back in November 2016 for 88 houses to be built, of which 40 percent will be set aside for affordable housing (33 dwellings). In addition, space has been allocated for industrial, commercial and community amenities.

As part of the permission, it is anticipated that the developer will transfer approximately 280sq m. of land to the Fenstanton Village Hall Trust for the construction of a new facility for the village, which has been without a hall for more than 10 years.

Council planning official, Dallas Owen, said: “The proposed development would provide affordable housing in a sustainable location and it would make the best use of a brownfield site.”

The site which had been in operation in its current form for more than 30 years, is just shy of 100,000 sq. ft and has been laying redundant since the closure of the Dairy Farm back in 2012.

The new residential scheme was made possible after agents worked with the local authority – Huntingdonshire District Council (Hunts DC) – to establish and agree the principle of a change of use for the site from commercial to residential.

“We are extremely familiar with the geographical region in and around Fenstanton, given our many nearby office and site locations. Equally, we employ a number of staff from neighbouring villages, towns and cities, so know how important the development is,” says contracts director Michael George. “Given our association, we feel we’re best placed to complete the works, causing the least disruption to the local community. We have worked in partnership with Morris Homes on a number of occasions, and know that their exacting standards will be upheld on this development.”

Hydraquip