Nocton Dairies submitted its revised planning application for a 3,700 cow 'mega-dairy' on 17th November, 2010. Compassion in World Farming vigorously opposes these plans due to animal welfare and environmental concerns. If the plans get the go-ahead the cows will spend the majority of their lives indoors, with little access to outdoor grazing.

The public consultation for the revised plans officially closed on Tuesday 11th January, 2011.

However, on 26th January 2011, Nocton Dairies submitted nearly 600 pages of additional documents to North Kesteven District Council (NKDC), leading NKDC to take the decision to have another 21-day public consultation.

Compassion in World Farming is currently in the process of analysing these new documents to determine if it needs to submit additional comments to the 120 page objection it has already lodged with NKDC.

NKDC have confirmed that all previous objections still stand and will be counted but these will now be considered alongside any new objections to the new documents.

Number of objections

At the last count, NKDC had received 14,000 objections by email and post though so far only 2,400 of these have been uploaded onto NKDC's website.

In order to cope with this huge number and to ensure that every objection is uploaded onto its website, the Council has employed extra staff.

New consultee objections

As well as Compassion's objection, three other major consultees have lodged their objections to the 'mega-dairy' including: The Environment Agency, Anglian Water and AEA (world leading energy and climate change consultancy and consultants for NKDC's Environmental Protection Unit).

These objections and Compassion's official objection are now available to read on NKDC's website.

Alternatively you can read Compassion's objection on our 'Cow Belong in Fields' website.

Decision date

It is understood that March 8th 2011 has been pencilled in as the date for the Council's Planning Committee to meet to determine the scheme.

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Nocton Dairies submit additional documents