Nocton Dairies said the plans have been put on hold after the planning authorities raised concerns about slurry management and the smell at the site. It now intends to take more time to address the issues.
As initially conceived, the dairy would be the biggest in Western Europe producing 250,000 litres of milk a day and employing over 80 people.
Objections
For some observers bigger is not necessarily better. Detractors have objected to the project arguing against it on animal welfare grounds and raising questions about its impact on smaller dairy farmers.
Vegetarian group Viva! has led a campaign against the plans that includes a Facebook group called “Oppose the UK’s biggest factory farm”, which has attracted 4,460 fans.
The Soil Association has also condemned the dairy farm likening it to a “battery chicken farms for cows”. The organic interest group said it was “very pleased” to learn of the withdrawal of the planning application.
Re-submitting plans
But Nocton is steadfast in its stance that this opposition will not stop the company from re-submitting its plans.
In a statement, the farm planners said: “We will be seeking to undertake more surveys and detailed reports with a view towards resubmitting a new planning application in the near future.”
“As dairy farmers, we have no doubt dairies like ours represent an economically viable, environmentally sustainable and ethically imperative future for the British dairy industry. We know this by going back to first principles – we will simply do whatever is best for the cows.”