UK's largest onshore salmon farm approved at heart of Grimsby seafood cluster

Grimsby looks set to land the UK’s largest onshore salmon farm after a £120 million proposal was approved by North East Lincolnshire Council.

Aquacultured Seafood Ltd’s plans for the facility, to be built on New Clee Sidings – port land beyond the current docks footprint – were given the go-ahead, with the driving force behind it hopeful of construction starting next year. The 40,000 sq m site will process 5,000 tonnes a year, feeding into the cluster it will form a flagship element of.

Mike Berthet, founding member of ASL and a former director with Grimsby-based M&J Seafoods, said: “Today is a major milestone in our journey to establishing a new, responsible and sustainable form of fish farming in the UK. As someone who has worked in the local fishing industry for 40 years, I am delighted that Grimsby continues to be a leader in this sector.

“It is a groundbreaking development in the heartland of UK seafood processing. We will now take the good news back to our financial house in the City and to our existing shareholders, and put our shoulders to the wheel to raise the funds as quickly as possible, so we can get on site and start the build.”

A total of £75 to £80 million is required for the construction phase, with a further £40 million for the state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture systems that are set to be deployed, as well as working capital to manage the initial growth phase ahead of first processing. 80 jobs will be created, with pledges to recruit and train locally.

Mr Berthet said: “I’m really grateful for the support of local seafood business community and the wider business community for all the help we have had along the way. I really do hope that once we are up and running the community will feel proud of what we have been able to bring to the Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes community.

“The nub of it for us is producing healthy, nutritious protein which the United Nations has clearly stated is the most economical use of land and water, and it couldn’t be in a better place – to do that while bringing new skill sets to Grimsby and to train the sector’s first aquarists here, will make for an excellent addition to the seafood sector.”

The approved plan for the 50-tank salmon farm.

Councillors on the authority’s planning committee voted seven to four in favour of the farm, with an initial deferment proposal defeated as a full environmental impact assessment was sought. Officers had recommended approval.

Objections had been led by Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK making an impassioned plea to councillors and warning over issues at other farms.

However, Mr Berthet assured the committee, technology partners had operated in Poland for seven years without issue.

Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Cllr Ian Lindley (Con, Scartho) sits on the committee. He said: “This is creating local jobs and we have got to bear in mind schemes like this don’t come along very often in areas like North East Lincolnshire. We need to grasp the opportunity, providing it is right. I think it is right. It is a huge opportunity for the area, to throw it out would be foolhardy. This will be a massive boost to the local economy.”

From colleague Cllr Henry Hudson (Con, Wolds), there was surprise at opposition with the development brought forward on land marked for employment use and under port control. ABP holds rights to develop, and potential for a second cold store like the mid-Nineties build neighbouring the proposal was underlined. He said: “I didn’t think there would be a single objection, as I understand anything can be built on there. The fact it is a low profile build, I would be over the moon at, as it future proofs from a huge building. That would be a big tick. The extra jobs should be a big tick, and being at the forefront of exciting new technology, creating cheap food for a growing population should be another.

“There is huge demand for it, and it cuts down on food miles. It is an absolutely marvellous scheme and I think it wants supporting. Grimsby is very lucky to be chosen. The jobs and investment could have gone elsewhere.”

An artist’s impression of onshore salmon farm at New Clee Sidings.

Highlighting how the three principal objectors given five minus to speak “aren’t from here” having told how they had made 10-hour and 500-mile round trips to make representations, he added: “I feel Grimsby and Cleethores is very lucky to benefit from this substantial operation; I hope it is the first of many and I hope the technology works.”

Cllr Steve Holland (Ind, Freshney), tabled the move to defer over concerns an environmental impact assessment hadn’t been deemed appropriate. Describing it as “the most critical application decided for some time,” he said: “This is a start-up business with no proven track record. It is the first UK site on such scale and the success or failure may be a yardstick on which other proposals are judged. I think it is in the public interest and the interest of the applicants to make sure every environmental risk has been considered to the highest standard.”

Planning officers had assured officers ecology, noise, smell, light and amenity impact had been considered, stressing there were no objections from statutory consultees the Environment Agency and Natural England, while underlining the permits required to operate, and conditions covering it.

Ms Penny had told how councillors “must choose to be on the right slide of history” in determining the application. “If you give the green light it will be one of the most enormous fish farms on the planet,” she said, adding that “catastrophic death and destruction” had been caused to fish at previously established farms.

Prior to her speech councillors had been told the morality of fish farming was not their concern. Ensuring back-up power, through secondary supply or battery was highlighted as a safeguard to prevent failures.

The seafood cluster had written in support of the application, backing it from the outset. On hearing of the approval, Simn Smith, chair of Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance, said: “We welcome today’s decision from North East Lincolnshire Council regarding approval for the UK’s first onshore aquaculture farm in Grimsby. We believe that this is another significant boost for the future of our region as a leader in the UK and European seafood industry. We look forward to seeing a return to Grimsby processing its own, local fish for the first time in over 40 years and the associated environmental and economic benefits that it brings in terms of local jobs and skills.”