A decision on Cranswick’s proposed large pig and poultry unit in Norfolk has been delayed until late-autumn.
The pig and poultry business has submitted proposals to West Norfolk Council to expand an existing site at Methwold and Feltwell to house 870,000 chickens and 14,000 pigs. Cranswick has said it would be a ‘sustainable, modern farm’ and would help deliver affordable produce, create jobs and boost the local economy.
But West Norfolk Council said it had received an unprecedented 10,000 letters objecting to the proposal, with local residents expressing concerns about pollution and traffic problems, and animal rights groups also objecting, the BBC reported.
A decision on the planning application was due from the council early this summer, but has now been put back so the Hull-based company can provide further environmental reports about the possible impact of the farms.
A spokeswoman for the council said it was ‘rare’ to have received such a high number of comments, although she added it was a unique situation because of the scale of the application.
A Cranwick spokesperson said: “The council has asked us for more information on the environmental impact of the development, which we are working to provide.”
Terry Jermy, the MP for South West Norfolk, said: “The delay with the planning process is causing further concern and anxiety.”