Nocton Dairies Ltd - breaking news

Letters of intent

Despite writing letters to each of the companies about their original Letters of Intent, making land available to Nocton Dairies Ltd [NKDC planning application 09/1040/FUL], only Blankney Estates have actually replied.  However, it now seems one of the companies have made their intentions very clear.

Patrick Dean Ltd
This company has withdrawn their letter of support for the original planning application of Nocton Dairies Ltd... "as this is no longer applicable or necessary".

The letter goes on to remark..."The Directors are also extremely concerned that the unwelcome public attention which is being drawn to this project will have a negative effect on the Patrick Dean Ltd business..."

To view their letter in full, visit the NKDC planning portal here: http://planningonline.n-kesteven.gov.uk/online-applications/

You will need to enter the application number 09/1040/FUL and click 'Search'.  Click on the 'Documents' tab and scroll down to the bottom to locate the document titled: 'LETTER FROM D KNOTT, PATRICK DEAN LTD, WITHDRAWING LETTER OF SUPPORT'

Blankney Estates
Blankney Estates (one of the other concerns that signed a Letter of Intent on 6th November 2009 to make available 4,499ha of land and also three irrigation reservoirs to Nocton Dairies Ltd) have responded to a local resident as follows:

"It is my understanding that the Directors of Nocton dairy Ltd intend to resubmit their planning application very shortly and any involvement by Blankney Estates will become clear at that stage. I am afraid that until the application enters the public domain, I would prefer not to disclose the decision of the Directors although I can assure you that we continue to keep the matter under review".

There is also another comment in the letter:

"... I am afraid we have been involved in continuing discussions here at Blankney for some time and our position has only recently been confirmed."

This letter was dated 27th September 2010.

EM Howard Ltd
No response has been forthcoming from this company.

Update 8th October

The 'Stop Cow Factory Farming' Ads Are Working!
See the 38 Degrees' blog entries for 7th and 8th October 2010  if you want to support this campaign:
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/

If you wish to add your name to the campaign, click here:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/factoryfarm

Nocton Mega Dairy – contact the companies involved
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2010/10/07/nocton-mega-dairy-contact-the-companies-involved/

Update 25th October

Blankney Estates have responded to a CAFFO representative as follows:

"Thank you for writing to Blankney Estates Ltd, to point out your views on the proposal to construct a new dairy by Nocton Dairies Ltd.  We are well aware of the strength of local opinion and of the national debate on this subject, but do appreciate the time that you have taken to contact us personally with your own opinion.  Recent media references to Blankney Estates, in connection with the proposed dairy, have been prompted by a spreading plan circulated earlier in the year.  This formed part of a planning application which has been withdrawn.

Unfortunately, there continues to be a large amount of unnecessary speculation surrounding the proposed dairy and any current involvement of farming neighbours, including ourselves.  However, only when a new planning application is submitted by the Directors of Nocton Dairies will the exact nature of the proposal enter the public domain.

I would particularly draw your attention to the contents of a recent letter sent to the council by Nocton Dairies:

'We at Nocton Dairies would like to .... clarify the current status of the above application.  The application was withdrawn in April 2010 so it could be revised and several key issues addressed.  The reworked application is substantially different from the original application in many ways, and we urge everyone with an interest in this application to wait until the revised application is posted before making assumptions.

We would also like to confirm that there are currently no agreements whatsoever in existence for spreading digestate or slurry on any neighbouring land, and that this particular aspect is one for which we advise speculation is kept to a minimum until the application is resubmitted.'

I particularly emphasize the final paragraph of this letter which quite clearly indicates that it is presumptive to assume that Blankney Estates Ltd. currently have an agreement to provide land for spreading.

Yours sincerely."
END

UK dairy prospects 'undoubtedly good'

Perhaps our hard-working, hard-pressed dairy farmers do not agree with Dairy Crest, judging by the couple of comments online. Despite recent increases in milk ppl prices, maybe if more realistic prices were paid then the decline of our small ailing dairy farmer would be halted once and for all.

When will processors and supermarkets start to reverse the trend for low prices and realise it is they that are squeezing the life out of the milk market.  If farmers are having to face increased input prices, they must be able to get a decent price paid for their product to remain profitable.  Surely it is that simple... or am I missing a trick here?

http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/business/business-news/uk-dairy-prospects-undoubtedly-good/34686.article

Supermarkets extend milk contracts

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/09/29/123719/Supermarkets-extend-milk-contracts.htm

Worry over animal welfare body closure

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/09/30/123727/Worry-over-animal-welfare-body-closure.htm

What we can learn from our hunter-gatherer ancestors

"Over time, we have seen that economies of scale can be false economies; increasing specialisation can be loss of wisdom; industry can reduce ability".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/sep/30/hunter-gatherer-ancestors