A HAMPSHIRE brewery has withdrawn plans to build new state-of-the-art premises on the outskirts of Bishop’s Waltham, following talks with residents.

Plans were submitted for a new building for Upham Brewery off Ashton Lane, which would allow the firm to increase its production five-fold.

The move would see its output increase to 60,000 casks per year. It is currently located in Cross Lane, between Ashton and Lower Upham.

But following two public consultations and ongoing discussions with nearby residents, the firm has decided to withdraw its application and go back to the drawing board.

The firm, which has outgrown its site at Stakes Farm, said it needed to stay in the vicinity to access locally-sourced water and will work closely with the parish council to identify other sites.

David Butcher, director of Upham Brewery said: “We’d like to review everything else and look at other options that sit better with the local community considering the amount of objections to the site we have proposed. We want to see if there’s any other alternative and engage with the parish council and others to see if we can find somewhere else.

“We’re going to hold that and we may come back to this site but it’s important that we make sure everyone’s happy with the efforts we have made. We need to move relatively quickly; we’re running out of capacity where we are.

“Over the next three months we would like to carry out that whole process again. We need to be more openly demonstrating what we’re trying to do.”

Daily Echo:

Upham Brewery

Since it was founded in 2009 the brewery has seen a rapid rise in demand for its products.

Further growth plans means it will expand from its current 12-pub portfolio to between 30 an 40 in the next three to four years.

Following a public consultation in Bishop’s Waltham, residents formed an action group to stop the brewery from building on a greenfield site.

Action group member Libby Cleaver said: “I’m not at all surprised to hear they have withdrawn. We are just an ordinary group of people and we were quite concerned about it. But we are so happy that it worked and there is a chance that our example could be followed elsewhere.

“It’s not Upham Brewery that we object to, it’s simply their choice of site, and Upham Brewery will, I’m sure, always be well respected in this locality. They are a great firm which is going places and we would like to always give them support. They are welcome here in south Hampshire, as a good example to others about how industry can develop.”

Colin Palma, of Ashton Close, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news and it’s definitely a triumph for ordinary people expressing their concerns over the effects on not only Bishop’s Waltham but also the South Downs National Park.”