One of the county's largest animal feed Ryedale feed business has agreed lawful operating hours - ending uncertainty for communities

A row had escalated over plans to extend the operating hours Ian Mosey Ltd, based near Gilling East.

The family-run business had applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness in respect of the activities of its fleet of lorries between the hours of 5.30 and 6.30 in the morning, Monday to Saturday.

The request to extend the operating hours of the tractor units and trailers has triggered a slew of objections from affected residents.

However, the company said it had now agreed lawful operating hours with North Yorkshire County Council, ending uncertainty for local communities around commercial transport movements associated with the Ryedale-based feed mill.

In future, commercial vehicles connected with the feed mill will comply with the permitted hours of 5.30am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 5.30amto 6pm on Saturdays.

Ian Mosey, Managing Director and founder of the business, said: "We’ve always been committed to the future of our family-run business and supporting our local community. We believe this change gives us all clarity to move forwards with those commitments.

"We are aware of previous comments made by local residents about the movement of our commercial vehicles. We want to minimise disturbance to nearby villages, while ensuring we secure and create more local jobs.

"It’s encouraging to note we have received a lot of support from people who recognise our positive contribution to the surrounding rural economy."

Director Becky Milne, who is Ian's daughter, said the business has already adopted a number of practical measures to ensure compliance, including installing barriers on the feed mill gates with cameras. She said: "We want to secure the future of our business and have a positive impact on our local community.

"We will continue to consider measures which help us ensure compliance and our commitment to benefitting future generations."

The Ian Mosey Group was established in 1979, and is now a major contributor to the local rural economy, directly employing around 170 people. It also plays an important role in the UK’s food supply chain, and supports an extensive network of companies and suppliers and providing a vital income to more than 400 farms.

Of its two core businesses, Ian Mosey (Feed) Limited is one of the UK’s leading animal feed manufacturers. The company’s livestock arm, Ian Mosey (Livestock) Limited, is one of the UK’s largest independent pig producers.

This latest agreement around operating hours of the feed mill’s commercial vehicles coincides with a decision by the company to drop an appeal against an enforcement notice issued last year by North Yorkshire County Council. That notice related to the timings of vehicle movements associated with the feed mill. Vehicles connected with the livestock and arable arm of the business are not impacted.

Cllr Steve Mason, Lib Dem member for Ampleforth said: 'We finally seem to be getting somewhere with this situation, and to be clear, no one is doubting the positive economic value that the company brings to North Yorkshire, but this whole situation began with the shift to earlier operating hours, primarily in the mornings. All the feedback I receive is that the shift to 5.30 am is impacting residents in villages. This is a win for the community, who can be more reassured that 24/7 HGV movements appear to be off the the table, and I welcome the compliance measures to be introduced by the company, but the fact remains that residents of the surrounding villages will still be impacted in unsociable hours. I'm interested in the reaction of residents to this news."

Councillor George Jabbour, who represents the Helmsley and Sinnington division, said: “Since my election as a Councillor two years ago, I have done everything possible to work closely with the local community within and outside the area that I represent to support their shared cause. 

 

“Whether it was arranging a protest, raising the issue with the media and with both the current North Yorkshire Council and its Ryedale predecessor, using the locality budget or writing to residents to encourage them to attend council meetings to voice their concerns, every avenue has been explored.

 

“Today is a positive step forward on this long journey.  It is now incumbent on all parties to constructively collaborate with each other for the sake of our local villages.”