Brewery to pump up as expansion plans win approval

Bradford Council has approved plans to reconfigure buildings and raise the external wall at Timothy Taylor’s brewery in Keighley so that the beermaker can install new equipment and expand production.

Timothy Taylor’s – maker of Landlord and Boltmaker, among others – has operated from its Knowle Spring brewery in Keighley since 1863. It is the last independent brewery in West Yorkshire.

The plans will not extend the brewery’s footprint, but will rearrange internal walls and roofs to allow new machinery and higher output.

Architects Bowman Riley, in a report supporting the brewery’s application, said, “Timothy Taylor’s ongoing success has resulted in the natural growth of their manufacturing facilities at the Knowle Spring Brewery over time. Their aim is to continue to improve the facilities, production line and keep true to the heritage of their brewing process retaining the site in  Keighley. There has been a growth in the number of staff over time, supporting the continued increase in site capacity and production output…

“There is a business requirement to increase the brewing capacity at Timothy Taylor’s to meet current market demands. To cater for this, new plant machinery and brewing equipment is required and Timothy Taylor’s need to locate this at The Knowle Spring Brewery to keep the  production line together.”

The proposal will convert an existing, underused building dating from 1863 to a 6.5m high flat roof to allow for larger machinery, and include an open air room for tanks, and an access room. Materials used in the conversion will be in keeping with the existing building.