The news comes 16 months after a fire destroyed the Lancashire cheesemakers’ 65,000 square foot office and packing site in Longridge.
The new campus will be constructed on the site of the family cheesemakers’ farm near Inglewhite and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Matthew Hall, the fourth-generation owner at Butlers, explained that the new facility will be “inspired by the land and a melting pot for innovation and ideas”.
“We couldn’t be happier to have the green light and get this project off the ground,” he said.
“Since the fire ripped through our business, we’ve moved mountains to ensure continuity for our staff, customers and community. It was particularly heartening for the council to acknowledge the resilience and farming grit we have displayed over the last year or so, as well as the role we play in generating a wide range of skilful, meaningful jobs both now and in future.”
Hall thanked the support of Butlers’ customers, but explained that operating entirely out of the firm’s dairy has been a challenge.
“What it has done, is ignite our desire to nurture our cheese from beginning to end on the farm,” he continued.
“Cheesemaking is at the very heart of our business. We are now in a position to build a leading maturation space that meets the specific requirements of our farmhouse cheese and get us back to our pre-fire sales, where we are currently operating at 60% due to space limitations.”
Butlers have enlisted several local Lancashire suppliers to support with the build, including fellow Inglewhite businesses Wareing Buildings and Sanderson Brothers.
Stone from Longridge quarry and rubble recycled from the old Longridge site will also be incorporated. In moving its full operation onto a single site, Butlers’ food miles will be reduced by 40%.
“Our community has been with us every step of the way, and so it was very important to us to keep the build as local as possible,” Hall added.
“This milestone marks the next chapter in our 93-year history. Our new cheesemaking campus will be one of the most advanced farmhouse operations in the UK, serving our business, customers, and community for the next 100 years.”
