Everards, the Leicestershire brewer and retailer, is set to have its plan of a £25m food and visitor centre approved by Blaby District Council this week.
The major complex is located on land between Soar Valley Way and the police headquarters in Enderby and will include a brewery, units for food and drinks companies, restaurants, parking and sport facilities. The plans also include opening up the River Soar flood plain at the rear of the development to more cyclists and walkers, with a new footbridge across the river.
The £25 million scheme on a greenfield site has been submitted by Everards, which wants to relocate from its existing brewery on the edge of nearby Fosse Park. The company wants to build a new craft brewery, “brew-pub” and visitor centre on a 13-acre site next to its existing Castle Acres brewery, with access to a further 73 acres of recreational land that is part of the River Soar flood plain.
The brewery hopes to find tenants among some of Leicestershire's other successful food manufacturers and make the most of the county's reputation in the sector.
It is estimated 300 to 400 jobs could be created.
Due to the scale of the site and the fact it is outside the brief of the Blaby district long-term planning framework, the council is set to refer it for Government consideration.
Should the Secretary of State decide not to intervene, planning officers are recommending the development goes ahead subject to certain conditions.