Wednesday 9 December 2015

Beeswax Farming - presentation

New infrastructure for Nocton Estate

Robert Hall attended the Parish Council meeting last night to introduce plans for a new grain store, equipment storage site and staff facility on Nocton Estate. This presentation is the first to be conducted outside of the management team. A further presentation will be made to Dunston Parish Council at their next meeting.

Where will this be located?

The new facility is planned to be constructed on stable ground located at Nocton Middle. It will be located on the high ground where the public footpath 'boxes' around the field to the south of Abbey Hill/private estate road. It will be constructed to the east of that field [GR 079643], with the footpath running to the south and east of the site, and the private estate road to the north for main access.

Why is it required?

The Nocton Estate is struggling for adequate grain storage, with outdated and dilapidated facilities, particularly on the fen. Furthermore, the staff accommodation currently being used on the MAC site is not really suitable for the numbers of people now employed by Beeswax Farming.

Beeswax Farming also want to 'avoid product' going through local villages and wish to keep heavy farm traffic away from the main 'public-use areas' on the estate. As a result, a new private 'relief road' is being planned to bypass the main estate road between Top Lodge and Grotto Holt. This current route from Top Lodge involves crossing a Bridle Path and also two 90 degree 'blind' bends near Bottom Lodge, all of which have public access rights.

The new relief road will connect Old Sleaford Road (entrance between Top Lodge and the MAC site), to the Bridle Path crossing land south of the reservoir and then rejoin the existing main estate road at Grotto Holt. The existing estate road between Grotto Holt up to the gates to the private road at Nocton Middle will then be upgraded/widened to enhance public safety.

Plans have yet to be submitted for planning permission, but subject to approval the first phase build will commence in 2016. The aim is to have it functional for the main harvest. The second phase build will be completed in 2017.

I requested a copy of the plans to publish here on the blog and understand a copy will be released to me once these are finalised.

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