Controversial plans for an animal feed mill on the edge of Bury St Edmunds have moved a step closer to being approved, despite being recommended for refusal by planning officers. 

Members of the West Suffolk Council Development and Control Committee met on Wednesday, August 2, where they were minded to approve the AB Agri Ltd and British Sugar Plc proposal for a facility on land off Compiegne Way.

The plans would see a 19,185sqm building built, complete with a production plant, raw material intake areas, loading bays, warehousing, maintenance workship, offices and a plant control room. 

The building would be 50.2 metres tall, including the flues, and there would be a smaller mill building, eight external silos and parking areas included. 

Planning officers recommended the the committee refused the plans and the town council also objected to the application. 

In a statement, an officer said: "Such a tall, bulky and obtrusive development will cause significant and permanent harm to the landscape and will harm the existing townscape of Bury St Edmunds and its immediate countryside setting to the north-east." 

Councillors were minded to approve the application, which will be brought back to a future meeting for a risk assessment report to be considered before a formal decision is made.