Kent’s Chapel Down winery relocation plans approved

Kent-based English sparkling wine specialists Chapel Down have been given the go ahead to build a huge new winery in the Kent countryside.

The decision has not been without its controversies as the location Chapel Down have bid for is an AONB (Area of exceptional natural beauty). Kent County Council has said there are ‘’exceptional reasons’ for granting the bid.  

This project, which will cost over £32million, will see Chapel Down move its production facilities from Tenterden to farmland at Canterbury business park.

The proposal is for a 120m x 100m, 42ft high production building for Chapel Down and two further smaller storage warehouses, including one for bespoke wine producer Defined Wine, which already operates from the site.

Chief executive at Chapel Down Andrew Carter said: “We are delighted that the planning application for a new purpose-built wine hub in Canterbury Business Park has been approved. This development will have a significant positive impact on the local economy, creating jobs, increasing local spending and placing Canterbury at the heart of the country’s burgeoning wine industry.

“Following this successful planning outcome, we look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to deliver the next stage of this project, which will underpin our long-term growth plans.”

The new production facility will allow Chapel Down to increase production to 9 million bottles by 2032, for reference 1.5million bottles were produced by the company in 2021.

Operations director and head winemaker of Chapel Down Josh Donaghay-Spire said: “We believe that the creation of this state-of-the-art hub for wine production will further burnish Canterbury’s credentials as England’s own sparkling wine capital, and Chapel Down’s status as England’s leading and largest winemaker.”

Read more – Kent’s Chapel Down Group Plc posts revenue of £16m in 2022