BRITISH Salt has submitted plans for the construction of a new salt manufacturing facility at its Middlewich site in Cledford Lane.

The plans include the removal of tanks and associated equipment, the construction of new tanks and associated equipment, external alterations to an existing evaporation building, the erection of a pipe bridge and the construction of new drying and packing building.

The proposed development would consist of three main processes for the manufacturing of salt – purification, evaporation and drying and packing.

The existing purification area on the site would be modified to incorporate new production equipment, while the evaporation building to the north-east of the purification tanks would require minor modifications to the existing pipework, and the external elevations of the building.

The drying and packing facility would be a new building located on the area where there is currently a garage building surrounded by hardstanding.

A new pipe bridge, which would be approximately 51m in length, would convey multiple materials and services including salt slurry, process water, steam, air and electrical cables from the evaporation building to the drying and packing facility.

The footprint of the drying and packing building would be 1,880sqm and would measure approximately 46m x 31m at its longest points.

There would be a large roller shutter door on the south eastern elevation, opening on to a covered loading area measuring 12m by 30m.

This is where HGVs would stop to pick up pallets of finished product before taking it away for storage.

The planning application reads: “The proposed development would not constitute a change of use at the site.

“But rather would introduce additional capacity to an existing industrial use.

“The use forms part of a wider cluster of employment uses in this part of Middlewich.

“Middlewich is classified as a key service centre in policy PG 2 of the Local Plan Strategy.

“The development is considered appropriate and congruous with the existing infrastructure that would be retained as operational within the site and would be in-keeping and work well with its existing immediate and wider commercial context.

“There is sufficient separation distance to residential receptors to ensure that the intensification of the use would not impact significantly on the amenity of residents.”