Councillors recommend refusal of Norfolk mega farm plans amid 12,000 objections

Plans for a controversial housing development off Sherston Road in Malmesbury, submitted by Hollins Strategic Land, faced significant opposition during a strategic planning committee meeting. Critics, including Councillor Gavin Grant, argued the proposal would undermine the town's character and create unsustainable transportation issues due to its distance from the town center. Meanwhile, in West Norfolk, a proposed mega farm by food producer Cranswick has also been recommended for refusal due to insufficient environmental information and significant public opposition, with over 15,000 objections filed. The proposed farm would raise millions of chickens and thousands of pigs, but concerns regarding its impact on nearby protected sites and climate change have dominated discussions. Both cases highlight the tension between development demands and environmental sustainability in local planning decisions. The Malmesbury committee ultimately voted to refuse the housing plans, reflecting similar sentiments echoed in the response to the mega farm project.