An agricultural producer has been told it needs to do more to make sure water voles do not re-colonise the site before it can proceed with a major extension to its factory.

Cambs Times: Showing area of proposed bridge footprint and one of the headwalls after clearance of vegetation at Produce World in Chatteris.Showing area of proposed bridge footprint and one of the headwalls after clearance of vegetation at Produce World in Chatteris. (Image: Archant)

Produce World, of Iretons Way, Chatteris, received permission to build 21,000sq metres of processing and packaging facilities, alongside 13,000 of floor space, in December 2014.

However, a condition imposed by the council is that a Water Vole Mitigation Srategy be implemented.

On March 2, topsoil was stripped of the banks to make them unsuitable for water voles and the channel was then dredged at the bridge location to further deter water vole use.

Fenland District Council’s ecology officer said: “I am satisfied the ground preparation works have been carried out in accordance with the Water Vole Mitigation Strategy, as required by this condition.

“However it should be noted that there is also a requirement for the initial construction bank works of these areas to ensure the cleared areas do not become re-colonised prior to construction.

“In addition there is a requirement for a monitoring survey to be carried out in the year following completion of all works. “I would therefore have no objection to the partial discharging of this condition, however given the requirement for additional monitoring which has not yet been completed, I would not recommend that this condition is fully discharged at this moment in time.”