Omega Proteins has disappointed council planners by building a trailer parking area without permission.
Two years ago this week, the company, of Greystoke Road, Penrith, applied to Eden Council for change of use consent for the park, but pressed ahead before getting the green light.
On Thursday, the retrospective application for the development finally goes before the Eden area local planning committee for a decision.
Council planning officers are recommending that councillors allow the trailer parking area to stay.
But the planning officer’s report notes: “It is disappointing to see that development has already commenced on this site prior to the consideration of the application. This has rendered the application retrospective in nature.
“The applicants are aware of the risk they face should the application be refused or approved with conditions they did not foresee.
“It is understood they have chosen to take this risk in pursuit of improving their existing operation practices on site to keep clean and used vehicles separate and thus minimise the risk of cross-contamination which, if it were to occur, could have very serious consequences.”
The parking area involved the creation of 9,978 square metres of permeable hardstanding for parking of clean transport trailers used by Omega.
The parking area would be 9,978 square metres on the west side of the Omega site, between on the west side of Myers Beck, adjoining a proposed solar farm development).
The parking area would take access from the existing Omega plant, passing over Myers Beck at an existing bridge culvert.
