CLIPPER Teas is planning to move all of its operations onto one site – freeing up its two other sites in Beaminster for housing.

In what the company is calling a ‘significant investment’ the proposals would see its tea sorting and production, storage, administration and logistics combined in one place and not spread across three separate sites.

The Fairtrade company is to hold a community consultation event about proposals to turn two of its three Dorset sites into homes.

The consultation is on Thursday February 18, between 2.30pm and 7.30pm at the Clipper Teas’ reception building.

Mark Bagwell, operations director said: “Clipper Teas was founded in 1984, in Beaminster. We are committed to ensure that this continues.

“However, tea sorting, production, storage, administration and logistics are spread across three separate sites.

“Operationally, this is inefficient and ineffective. Consolidation of the three sites, into one, would be allied by significant on-site investment in new machinery, production processes and improved staff facilities.”

Mr Bagwell said Wessanen – which took over the company in March 2012 - would be providing significant financial investment and the proposed consolidation would not result in the loss of jobs.

Savills Planning has organised the event to seek the community’s views and ideas about developing two of the sites for homes.

Phil Holdcroft, Savills associate director, said the event would consist of a series of annotated display boards which would outline all the key background issues which influenced the design.

He said: “The proposals provide a realistic impression for the sites’ future potential.

“We also hope attendees will appreciate how the scheme could have significant, wider community benefits. They will be able to ask questions direct to myself and representatives from Clipper Teas.

“Attendees will be able to ask questions direct to myself and representatives from Clipper Teas, view supporting material and leave their feedback comments in questionnaires.”

When Wessanen, the Dutch-listed European organic and natural foods company, took over the west Dorset firm it invested £1 million to help it cope with the ‘extraordinary’ growth of its business.

And West Dorset District Council also put in £100,000 to make sure Clipper Teas stayed in west Dorset.

The council’s economic regeneration manager Ian Doyle said at the time it would have been ‘catastrophic’ if the firm had decided to move.

The £1million was to be spent on automating some processes to increase efficiency and on improving facilities for staff.

Clipper Teas sends products out to 46 countries and employs around 90 people.

In 1994 became one of the first three companies in the UK to receive the Fairtrade stamp.