ARLA Foods (Westbury) Ltd have clarified their position in response to comments from the local MP, Andrew Murrison, who said that if the dairy’s operation is frequently disrupted, caused by the waste incinerator’s processes, then the dairy may feel obliged to relocate.
The dairy, which employs 250 members of staff, is located on the West Wilts Trading Estate opposite to the site of the proposed waste incinerator.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Arla says, “We appreciate that at times arguments have to be simplified to be reported by the media, but we are concerned that the way this has been covered could be unsettling for workers at the dairy and also potential future recruits.
“We also do not believe that it fully reflects what might happen in future. As you know, planning permission for the incinerator has not yet been granted. Even if the promoters of the scheme overcome the hurdle of the planning inquiry, they will still have to finalise the detailed design/ controls for the new facility and then build it; this is likely to take a number of years.
“We have said repeatedly that our concern is not that the incinerator will have any impact on us while it is operating properly; it is that if anything goes wrong it could risk tainting our products, forcing us to suspend operations. Disruption to our operations, even if temporary, will be costly and unwelcome and will undermine our mission of securing the highest value for our farmers’ milk.
“In other words, it would be misleading to assume that if permission is granted for the incinerator there will be any immediate impact on Arla Westbury, and we have never claimed this. Even if it is built and starts to operate, any changes affecting us would be many years away and happen slowly. That is not to say that there are no risks, and we will continue vigorously to oppose the incinerator; if that is unsuccessful, then we will work tirelessly to secure the controls necessary with NREL/Hills to protect our operation.”
The comments from Andrew Murrison’s letter to the case officer of the planning inspectorate read, “Arla is a signature Westbury undertaking providing quality jobs in the locality. If there are incinerator mishaps or planned or unplanned outages, which seem highly likely on past form, the dairy operation would have to be suspended because of the risk or perception of taint.
“That would be disastrous for farmers nationwide seeking to process a highly perishable product and would risk Arla, a farmer-owned cooperative, feeling obliged to relocate.”
The planning inquiry is due to take place on Tuesday 22nd November.
