The plans for US-style industrial agriculture have faced significant opposition since plans were first lodged in 2022 - Raimund Koch

Plans for a British “mega-farm” that would have housed 14,000 pigs have suffered a major setback after they were blocked by local officials.

On Thursday, councillors in Norfolk unanimously rejected the controversial Cranswick farm, which would have seen thousands of pigs housed on a former RAF base amid concerns over its impact on the environment and animal welfare.

Cranswick, which makes sausages and bacon for supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, wanted to expand the site near the villages of Methwold and Feltwell to house the animals and to rear more 700,000 hens indoors.

But, on Thursday, planning officers for the council recommended rejecting the plans because of its potential impact on the environment and nearby “protected” sites.

They said Cranswick had not provided enough information on this, a claim denied by the company.

‘Blight the lives of local people’

The US-style industrial farm has already faced significant opposition since plans were first lodged in 2022.

Terry Jeremy, the Labour MP for the area, on Thursday said the development would “blight the lives of local people and the environment for many years to come”.

Liz Truss, the area’s former MP and former prime minister, has also raised concerns over the farm and around 12,600 objections have been lodged with King’s Lynn and West Norfolk council alongside an anti-farm petition with 42,133 signatures.

The plans have already undergone three rounds of public consultation because of concerns over its impact on residents.Residents in nearby town of Methwold were concerned about the environmental impact of Cranswick’s expansion plans - David Rose

Rebutting the claim, Cranswick managing director Barry Lock said the expanded farm would improve the nation’s food security by reducing its reliance on imports, citing that half of the pork and 70pc of the chicken consumed domestically is produced in the UK.

He said many of the objections were not local and had come from as far afield as Rome, Lisbon, Calgary and California.

“If we want to reduce carbon emissions, we must reduce meat imports from abroad,” he said.

“At a time when we’re seeing food prices increasing, empty supermarket shelves, escalating trade wars and global uncertainty, we must do everything we can to enhance, not limit, our domestic food supply ... It is essential that we ensure we are able to supply the food this country needs.”

‘A bad day for British meat’

Those supporting Cranswick plans include the British Meat Processors Association and the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers.

Matters flagged by locals, charities and campaigners against the scheme include odour, animal welfare, pollution, flood risk, health, traffic and impact on the local economy. Mr Lock said it was unlikely the plans would have any significant environmental effects.

Story Continues

Cranswick, which is listed on the London stock exchange, can appeal the decision with the Government’s planning inspectors.

A Cranswick spokesman said the company was “incredibly disappointed”.

“This a bad day for the sustainable production of British meat. We’ll now take time to review the decision and consider the options available to us,” he said.

A council spokesman said: “Our role in determining this application is to ensure that the planning process is conducted professionally, objectively and thoroughly, and we are confident that this is what has happened today.”

View Comments