A MEAT-free burger and sausage maker which uses athlete Sir Mo Farah to market its products appears to have cemented its future in the market town where it launched.

Marlow Foods, the owner of Quorn, which boasts £205m annual sales, has received planning consent to build a new headquarters on its one hectare site south of Stokesley.

The scheme includes the construction of a product research and development facilities, offices and 86 more car parking spaces.

A report to Hambleton District Council’s planning committee stated: “It will be used to develop new products and also be used as the main headquarters and is therefore important in selling the brand.

“The proposed development would provide high quality accommodation to support Marlow Foods’ development in Stokesley and enable the headquarters to be retained in Stokesley.”

The proposal was being considered a month after the firm announced it had taken another step towards completing a £150m expansion plan, with work on a new fermentation tower at the business’ plant in Billingham, near Stockton.

And in February Quorn chief executive Kevin Brennan said the company was pressing ahead with plans to recruit more than 100 workers to fuel an increasing demand for its products..

The meeting heard local residents were concerned the development would almost double the amount of traffic visiting the site, which saw large vehicles with noisy refrigeration units come and go 24 hours a day.

Councillor Andy Wake urged the council and firm to consider creating an alternative entrance to the site.

Ahead of members granting the scheme, Councillor Kevin Hardisty said residents had to accept they lived close to an industrial estate.

He added: “Marlow Foods have been in Stokesley for 33 years and this is a unique factory. We have all seen the adverts on television for Quorn with Sir Mo Farah. It is a very large employer in the Hambleton district and we are a business-friendly council. To be trying to create test kitchens, offices and better parking here is all good as I am concerned.”