A detailed planning application has now been lodged with Aylesbury Vale District Council, where officers are now checking the technicalities of the documentation before submitting the plans to members. Arla hopes to open the finished facility in 2012.
However, there has been widespread concern about the impact the 70-acre, 1bn-litre dairy would have on the Aston Clinton area. Opponents say that traffic generated by the facility would be unmanageable, and that its buildings would disfigure the countryside.
Dairy giant 'listened'
Tim Evans, senior director for UK projects and engineering, said Arla had addressed some of these objections: “We have spent many months listening to people’s views and ideas, and have sought to take on board their comments and feedback and incorporate mitigation measures in our final plans.
“This unique proposal would deliver quality employment and training opportunities as well as boosting the local construction market. We believe the £150m investment to deliver the dairy and the £20m annual wages bill would have a positive impact on the local economy.”
The modified masterplan includes increased landscaping and the creation of 34 acres of new woodland; it would also ensure that more vehicles use the A41 bypass to London, rather than smaller local roads.
Superficial changes
But Conservative councillor Carole Paternoster described the changes as “superficial”, although she said she had not yet been given access to the detailed plans.
“Obviously we need to see the full details of the application. But the transport infrastructure is not capable of handling what they want to use that site for," she said.
“I’m sure the opposition will continue and I’m sure it will increase. Not just in Aylesbury Vale but potentially also Hertfordshire County Council because of the transport implications.”
However, Arla Foods said the site was chosen due to its "optimum position between supplying farmers and the growing population in the southeast”.
Outline planning applications have also been submitted for additional commercial space to the north and south of the site, which Arla said would be used as a catalyst to attract further inward investment to the area.
The dairy giant described its proposed dairy as “one of the most environmentally advanced in the world”, and said it would be a zero-carbon facility that supplied no waste to landfill.