Coldwater Salmon seeks canopy approval to convert Wiltshire trout farm for salmon production.
Coldwater Salmon Ltd has submitted a planning application to Wiltshire Council seeking permission to install a 3,240-square-metre steel and PVC canopy at Barford Fish Farm near Downton. The structure is intended to support the conversion of the site from trout to salmon farming.
The facility, previously operated by Trafalgar Fisheries until March 2025, is described as the largest land-based fish farm in England. Coldwater Salmon, the new operator, argues that the proposed canopy is essential to protect the concrete-lined ponds from seasonal weather fluctuations and contamination—particularly from bird droppings—while also enabling the use of artificial lighting to improve environmental control and fish welfare.
The company states that without the canopy, the site would not be suitable for salmon farming.
Companies House records show that Coldwater Salmon Ltd was incorporated in the UK in May 2025. The company appears to be linked to Cold Water AG, a Swiss-headquartered firm founded in 2020 by Julian Connor, who previously established Swiss Lachs, Switzerland’s only land-based salmon farm. Connor, a British national residing in Zurich, serves as a director of the UK entity alongside Nicolaas Loubser, a South African national also based in Switzerland.
Cold Water AG is pursuing land-based salmon farming projects across multiple sites in Europe and the US, including Ireland, Spain, and Texas. Its Galway site is currently the only one in production.
If approved, the Wiltshire site would represent the company’s first known operation in the UK. Coldwater Salmon anticipates reducing staffing levels from eight to three and cutting lorry traffic compared to previous operations under Trafalgar Fisheries, citing more efficient farming methods and the cessation of on-site production activities.
