I would expect major employers to be interested in the site

Danny Fellowes

Dairy Crest announced last month that it would close its operations at Marshfield in Cardiff and Johnstown in Carmarthen with a loss of 545 jobs.

A taskforce which was set-up in Carmarthen was told on Monday that there is a strong possibility that the company will be prepared to sell the cheese-processing plant at Johnstown site along with the mothballed Whitland creamery

There have been claims that Dairy Crest had been unwilling to dicuss selling their Whitland base, because of a fear of competition.

But its understood the sites will probably be released on condition that the new owners are not connected to the milk production industry.

Danny Fellowes from the Transport and General Workers Union said he was delighted that Dairy Crest were putting the Whitland site up for sale.

"I would expect major employers to be interested in the site," he said.

Economic regeneration

"It is a prime site with access right up to the M4."

Agriculture Minister Carwyn Jones commented also welcomed the news, saying the redevelopment of the site would greatly help the economic regeneration of the area."

Monday's taskforce meeting which was chaired by local MP Nick Ainger also heard that there was a possibility that some of the 270 workers facing redundancy, may be re-employed by Dairy Crest in Wrexham.

One hundred and seventy five jobs are being created at the Maelor creamery in Marchwiel, near Wrexham, where the company is investing �10m.

The taskforce said they hoped the Unigate plant in Haverfordwest - which is now also owned by Dairy Crest - would be persuaded to expand, and employ more of those facing redundancy at Carmarthen.

Dairy Crest is closing five processing plants across the UK, with the total loss of around 800 jobs.

A �39m "super dairy" which will create more than 300 new jobs - at Severnside in Gloucestershire is being opened instead.

It will be the biggest operation of its kind in Britain.

Dairy Crest is second only to Express Dairies plc in the UK liquid milk market after its �250m purchase of Unigate's diary and cheese business last July.