A family-run dairy that delivers milk to 10,000 customers in Liverpool city region and beyond has secured consent to expand its facilities and create new jobs. Andrew Brown reports

Plans for a new dairy building at Bates Dairy in Birkdale, one of the largest employers in Southport, have been approved by Sefton Council.

The scheme will see the firm increase its number of full-time employees at its headquarters on Stamford Road in Birkdale from 106 to 110.  The new 2,200 sq ft facility  will be used as a bottling room for milk bottle washing and filling.

Bates has enjoyed a significant boost to its business since the COVID pandemic began, with more customers opting for home deliveries. Increasing numbers of people also value the environmentally friendly nature of the firm, which uses recycled glass bottles for its milk instead of the plastic containers favoured by supermarkets.

A family-run business, Bates has been providing fresh milk and dairy products for more than 75 years. It delivers fresh milk, six days a week to more than 10,000 doorstep and wholesale customers across Merseyside, Lancashire and Wirral. It operate a fleet of eco-friendly electric milk floats, modern vans and hard working wagons.

In his report, Sefton Council chief planning officer, Derek McKenzie, said: “The existing commercial dairy site is accessed from Stamford Road within a primarily residential area of Birkdale. The building subject to this proposal is positioned to the eastern edge of the site abutting Broome Close.

“The proposal is for the erection of a detached building to be used as a dairy building, following the partial demolition of the existing building. There is an extensive history to this long-standing commercial site with recent approvals relating to replacement milk silos, extension to an existing cold store building and the change of use of open green space to vehicle parking.

“The main issue to consider in respect of this application is the impact of the new building on the living conditions of neighbouring properties as the proposal will not affect the character of the area given the existing commercial dairy use to this site.

“In respect of noise disturbance a noise assessment has been submitted for this proposal in which it is stated that the hours of operation of this bottling room will be 7am-1pm and the agent for the application confirmed that the room would be used Monday to Saturday.

“Details of the construction of the building and the noise from the existing bottling room have been assessed and a likely outcome has been modelled for this proposal. It is concluded within the submitted noise assessment that the proposal will have a ‘low impact on the nearest noise sensitive properties’.”

This article first appeared in Stand Up For Southport