THE owners of an award-winning restaurant are bidding for a return to their agricultural roots.

While building up The Fisherman's Retreat in Ramsbottom, the Magnall family owned the nearby Twine Valley Farm.

Borough planners in Rossendale have been told while the farm building and beef herd were sold in 2010, the family had retained the majority of the land, an estimated 12.7 hectares or so.

Planning agent Jim Eccles said the herd had now been re-established, to supply the restaurant with dry aged beef.

The cattle have been housed in a nearby building but the Magnalls now wanted to erect a 30-metre long unit, on their own land, as a permanent arrangement.

Mr Eccles said: "The applicant is continuing to increase their cattle stock up to the 100 head of cattle that they had previously maintained up to 2010 at Twine Valley Farm."

An area of hardstanding would be created at the site, to the south of Riding Head Lane, as part of the overall plans, with the building split according to stock requirements.

Phil Durnall, Lancashire County Council's highways and transport director, has not objected to the scheme.

He has told planners: "The proposal is for the construction of an agricultural building and apart from the initial construction phase, the traffic generated by the proposal is likely to be minimal and ancillary to the existing farming operations."

The venture was named the best in the food and drink class at the most recent Made In Bury business awards.

And Hervey Magnall Snr, who has been in the restaurant trade for 27 years and has a five-decade long working life, was named Businessman of the Year at the same ceremony.

He described the Bury area as a "great place to be" as he picked up his honour.