New cattle market plans revealed (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

New cattle market plans revealed

A MULTI-purpose agricultural complex, which will safeguard the future of Cirencester Cattle Market, is set to be built on the outskirts of the town.

And, if the plans are approved, Countrywide Farmers, whose local store burned down last month, will also have a new home.

The company has teamed up with cattle market managers Voyce Pullin and farmer John Ford, to devise the scheme.

The market, which is being forced off its existing site, at Old Tetbury Road, later this year, has been looking at a number of alternatives in recent months.

One of those is Fosse Farm in Driffield, which is owned by long-standing market customer Mr Ford.

Now, following a series of discussions, Countrywide has also agreed to move onto the site and the proposals include the provision of other industrial/storage and amenity buildings.

Joint cattle market manager Chris Voyce said: "The access and location is superb. We won't be able to find a better location for a livestock market. I'll be relieved once it's passed.

"We had other sites suggested to us. Most of them weren't suitable due to access and other things.

"The two firms involved in this really go together - it's the ideal facility for farmers."

The cattle market is being forced to move because Cotswold District Council wants to build a new leisure centre on the site.

Financial services firm St James's Place will then build a new headquarters in place of the exiting leisure centre and there were fears the market would be left homeless.

But, managers have been holding frequent talks with CDC planners, and Voyce Pullin believes the new site will be a vast improvement.

He said: "You won't have the big lorries going through the town anymore. The existing site was designed for horse and carts, not 60ft lorries. "The new one will be state-of-the-art with better pens."

The market is due to leave Old Tetbury Road in mid-September, but Voyce Pullin is hoping the council will allow it to remain there for at least another two months to give it time to build the new facility.

John Ford said: "If it hadn't been for Voyce Pullin I don't think the market would have ever got off the ground again.

"Post Foot and Mouth, it's one of the agricultural success stories of the district."