Image: Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden.
The UK’s largest sparkling wine producer is set to relocate its production facility from Tenterden to Canterbury, in a controversial decision that split the city council.
Councillors cited “exceptional” reasons for granting planning permission in a rural area, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), near Bridge.
Approved last night, the planning committee gave the go-ahead for the development at Canterbury Business Park – Highland Court Farm, seven votes to five, despite objections from local groups.
Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Chapel Down, said: “We are delighted to get planning approval for Chapel Down Wines. Now the work will really start.
“We look forward to working with all our stakeholders to deliver the next stage of this project, which will underpin our long-term growth plans, and double production to about six million bottles a year by 2032.”
It’s a real game changer for the local economy
The proposal for an 11,900 sqm production facility was agreed along with two 4,000 sqm storage warehouses, one of which will be for Defined Wines, a contract winery.
Josh Donaghay-Spire, Operations Director, and Head Winemaker of Chapel Down said: “Twinned with Reim’s, Canterbury could become England’s sparkling wine capital.”
Gary Walters, Chief Executive of Highland Investments, which runs Canterbury Business Park, said: “Chapel Down is the biggest leading light in English sparkling wine, and adds to the historic city.
“It’s a real game changer for the local economy, delivering jobs in a growth viticulture sector, and tourism.
“Kent is taking over as the new Champagne region, due to its clement weather, with Champagne houses like Taittinger moving over, planting across the chalk seam.
“Just because it is an AONB area, does not mean it cannot be used, if it benefits the area,” he said, saying: “It is already close to the A2 with an underused junction.”
Kent Downs
Katie Miller, Planning Manager, at Kent Downs AONB, said: “AONBs are nationally protected landscapes that are afforded the same level of protection in planning as National Parks.
“Chapel Down has no vineyards at Highland Court or Defined Wines,” she said. “There is no specific need for the proposed development at this location.”
Ms Miller objects to the proposed plans, along with Natural England and Heritage England, on the basis that both wineries are essentially an industrial complex that could be located on land for industrial use. Not on a ‘green field site within a nationally designated protected landscape.’
Chapel Down has focused on planting vines across the Kent Downs and has not ruled out planting vines in the near future at Highland Court.
“We have just leased further acreage near the village of Bilting. This will be planted in 2024 and will take the total acreage from which we source to over 1,000 acres,” said Josh.
“We are also reviewing land on Highland Court Farm adjacent to Canterbury Business Park, which we think is highly suitable for viticulture.”
A timeline for construction has yet to be confirmed.
Chapel Down Wines proposed site, Canterbury Business Park, Highland Court Farm
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