Indulgent treats to be made at derelict North Herefordshire farm

Plans have been put forward to convert an abandoned Herefordshire farm into an artisan chocolate factory and apple brandy distillery.

Mr W Harcourt-Cooze’s planning application (number 243274) seeks permission to adapt and extend buildings at Homelands Farm north of Leominster, and to demolish one barn.

Comprising a mix of buildings from different eras, the farm “has been derelict for a number of years”, a statement with the application says.

At its core is a C-shaped group of 19th-century one- and two-storey brick buildings, described as “in a poor state of disrepair”.

These would be “sympathetically” adapted, their setting improved by the removal of a neighbouring modern steel-framed barn.

The chocolate would be made on-site from raw cacao, the waste shells then being used locally as animal feed.

Accompanying plans show separate units for cacao storage and roasting, for chocolate manufacturing, as well as a “nut faculty”.

The planned distillery would meanwhile “use traditional stills with locally sourced apples as the raw material”, the application says.

All administration, packaging and despatch would take place on-site, creating “between 12-15” full-time positions in all. It would operate in normal weekday hours.

The application proposes a one-way system for larger delivery lorries using the two existing access roads to the farm off the B4361. New parking for 20 cars would be created.

To reduce carbon emissions, solar panels would be installed on the south-facing roofs and air-source heat pumps used to heat offices.

“The proposed facility is of a small scale and as a consequence noise/odour would not be a nuisance,” the application adds.

Pre-application advice from the council’s principal planning officer Adam Lewis did not find any “red flags” in the proposal.

This was addressed to a Mr Malin of Willy’s Cacao, Malvern – although according to its website, the company’s current “bean to bar” chocolate factory is in Uffculme, Devon.

“It is understood that you were to be successful in acquiring the site, then the established operations would be relocated from their current base in Devon,” Mr Lewis’ letter said.

Comments on the application can be made until March 13.