Plans to expand Boston factory approved, giving rise to potential new jobs

Boston Borough Council has awarded Ripe Now planning permission to build a new cold store area at its base in Bittern Way.

The company specialises in importing, packing, ripening, and storing fruit in a temperature-controlled environment.

In the Design and Access Statement submitted to the council as part of the application, it was said that due to continued growth and the refinement of business operations, additional storage capacity was required at its Boston premises.

“Essentially the proposals will allow greater capacity not just for storage of fruit within the proposed cold store, but allow for an increase in the importation, packing and ripening aspects also.”

According to the plans submitted to the council, the company currently employs 100 full-time staff and 40 part-time workers. If the expansion was approved, this would change to 180 full-time employees and 20 part-time roles.

The council received no objections to the plans.

In approving the scheme, senior planner Charlie Parry wrote: “The principle of the proposed development is considered to be acceptable, as is the proposal’s impact on the character and appearance of the immediate area.

"Due to the nature of the proposed works and the existing use of the site there is not considered to be a concern regarding the proposed development’s impact on residential amenity. Other considerations such as highway safety, flood risk and BNG (biodiversity net gain) are also acceptable.”