EF Harrold, which farms around Aylsham, hopes to build four poultry houses on land off Oulton Street in Cawston to produce around 1.36m chickens a year.

The company submitted the plans for the site of Docking Farm to Broadland Council.

Its bid also includes new feed bins, service buildings, access improvements, and drainage infrastructure.

But nearby parish councils have objected to the proposal, raising several concerns over the impact it would have on those living in the area.

This includes fears over the increased traffic on the local road network, as well as an increase of noise, particularly as operations are sometimes set to take place at night.

The layout plan for the four poultry houses (Image: Harrison Pick)

This will include when the birds are caught as it is understood that the birds are quieter and calmer in dark conditions.

Oulton Parish Council said: "The scraping of forklifts on a concrete apron is a notoriously disturbing noise, which is proposed to be carried out, at night, on the apron to the north of the sheds i.e. closest to the nearest neighbours.

"This would create an utterly unacceptable disturbance, and constitute a risk to the health, of the occupants of the nearest residential properties."

The council added that the light levels inside the sheds are within the control of the handlers, and suggested that the applicant should re-consider the need for night-time working.

"If this is not possible, then the parish council recommends the refusal of the application, on the grounds of the unacceptable severe impacts on the near neighbours," it said.

The chicken farm is set to be built by Docking Farm in Cawston, Norfolk. (Image: Google Maps)

Cawston Parish Council has also raised concerns that the submitted traffic management plan depends on temporary infrastructure - such as passing places and a speed limit- as part of offshore wind projects which will be removed in the future.

The Environmental Quality Team has also objected to the bid due to "unacceptable" odour levels on a nearby home.

Instead, the team has suggested that the firm should consider moving the proposed poultry houses across to the south of the site.

The district council will make a decision in due course.

© Eastern Daily Press