An award-winning family business is “over the moon” after its plans to expand were approved.

The Maldon Brewing Company’s plan to moves its base from Silver Street, Maldon, to Birchwood Farm in Cock Clarks was approved by Maldon District Council, despite a recommendation to refuse the application.

Mike Farmer, business manager and son of the owner, Nigel Farmer, said: “We are over the moon with the decision.

“It is a bit of a happy surprise, we want to start as soon as possible on the new space in Birchwood Farm.

“We want the new site to bring extra capacity, we have lots of plans to increase production also and that is the major reason we wanted to move.

“We have to get bigger in order to survive, we cannot brew anymore at the old site and so this will allow us to keep going.”

The new base will allow the business to create four new full-time jobs inside a micro-brewery and tap room.

A number of objections were noted by the council’s planning officer and the smell, increase in traffic and visual impact the site would have on the quiet village were given as reasons the plan should be refused.

The officer’s report added: “It is considered that such development would undermine the delivery of employment land in preferable locations and it has not been adequately justified that this is the most appropriate location for the proposed development.”

Despite the officer’s concerns, the council’s planning committee gave the green light.

Mr Farmer expressed gratitude to the council for the decision. He added: “I think the council did make the right decision in the end and we are thankful for that.

“I feel they made a justified and informed decision having read the entire application.”