WHILE Lafarge has received approval to continue with their current distribution centre in Westbury, any major decisions on the future of the site appear to still be some way off.
Manufacturing operations on the site ceased almost four years ago, when the site’s cement manufacturing operations were mothballed in February 2009. In June 2010 Lafarge announced that it was ending manufacturing capability at the Westbury works, citing a deterioration in the market.
Wiltshire Council has granted a certificate of lawfulness for continuation of cement milling, blending, packaging, and distribution on the site, allowing the current operations to continue.
However, Lafarge say that any long-term plans for the site are unlikely to be made until a joint venture between Lafarge and Tarmac, which was given legal approval earlier this year, is formed.
A statement from Lafarge says, “We are continuing to consider all future options for the former cement manufacturing areas of the Westbury site. This includes continuing discussions with Wiltshire Council on its development plans for the area and covers a wide range of potential uses for our site. Wiltshire Council has recently confirmed a Certificate of Lawful Use which allows us to continue to use the site for activities such as the current distribution depot.
“In addition, it is important to point out the announcement last year of the plans to form a joint venture between Lafarge and Tarmac. On 1st May the Competition Commission gave its legal approval for the joint venture to go ahead. This approval is subject to the completion of a number of conditions including divesting a number of cement, aggregates, asphalt and ready-mixed concrete sites of the two companies. The Westbury site is not included in these divested sites, a buyer for which was recently announced. It is unlikely strategic decisions on the long-term plans for the Westbury site will be made until the planned joint venture is formed. Having said that, some adjacent farmland which was tenanted and not part of the industrial site, has been sold during 2012.
“We should emphasise that part of the site remains in active use as an important distribution centre for our products and we remain focused on the safety of our team there, and overall site security. We will also maintain the rail sidings and the connection to the main line.
“We will keep all local interested parties updated on the status of the site. However we should just restate that until the planned joint venture has had the opportunity to appraise the site, it is unlikely that significant changes will occur.”
