Dairy Crest, Davidstow

Plans by Dairy Crest to increase cheese production at its creamery at Davidstow in north Cornwall encountered strong local opposition centered around fears that this would exacerbate existing problems of odour, noise and light pollution from the waste water treatment plant and increase the number and speed of tankers and other large vehicles serving the creamery.

Situ8 was asked by Dairy Crest to reach out to the community through public consultation events, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework. These were extensively publicised through posters, the media and direct invitations to key stakeholders and organisations; those attending included the constituency MP, local Councillors and almost 70 residents. Using visual displays, presentations and one-to-one conversations a dialogue was successfully established which enabled residents and other stakeholders to feed back their views into the design process and help shape the planning application to reflect and address local concerns.

The consultation also enabled Dairy Crest to publicise its environmental goals, such as reducing water consumption, and reassure its critics that many of their concerns were already being tackled as part of the company’s commitment to playing a positive role in the community, both as an employer and a responsible neighbour.

The parish council, reassured by discussions with Dairy Crest facilitated by Situ8’s involvement, withdrew its demand for conditions to be attached to planning permission, and with a recommendation of approval from the planning officer consent was successfully obtained

See highways tab for project details.