THE MP for Richmond and Northallerton has opened a new entrance to the site of one of Wensleydale’s biggest employers.

The entrance to the site of Metcalfe Farms, near Leyburn, takes heavy traffic away from the town, enables the business to expand and also helps to stop Bellerby flooding.

The access and roadway from the C34 Tank Road allows the firm’s haulage lorries and other vehicles used by the various businesses located at the Washfold Farm to stay out of Leyburn town centre.

It also allows access to a new limestone quarry the company is about to open to supply aggregates to the construction industry and other sectors.

The work to build the new road also includes two large flood alleviation ponds which help prevent flooding of Bellerby, holding back water at times of heavy rain, which floods down the valley from a large catchment area on the moor down into the village. Six thousand trees have also been planted with another 2,500 to follow.

In the storm of July 2019 the village was badly affected by flash flooding and has suffered several times previously.

Rishi Sunak said the new entrance benefited both business and the local community.

“This is of huge benefit for Metcalfes and also Bellerby where I saw the terrible devastation caused by the 2019 storm,” he said.

“It is great to see a local family business investing in this fashion. The new entrance helps Metcalfes with their expansion and also, in different ways, protects the communities of Leyburn and Bellerby.”

Metcalfe Farms has its roots back in 1940 when Frank Metcalfe started out with 120 rented acres and 18 cows at Washfold Farm.

Today, the fourth-generation enterprise has 3,000 acres and 1,300 dairy cows and has diversified into a range of businesses including haulage, agricultural contracting and quarrying.

The Washfold Farm site also host other businesses including Russell’s Farm Machinery, Truck Technics and Wensleydale Vets.

It is run by Frank Metcalfe’s three grandsons, David, Brian and Philip with their sons now also involved in an enterprise which employs 230 people.

David Metcalfe said: “The new entrance and road has been a big project. Now that it’s completed we will see the benefits for years to come. It’s great that Rishi has ‘officially’ opened it and seen the benefits to the local community. We have always worked with local communities ‘putting something back’.”