South Derbyshire council refuses Midland Pig Producers permission to build a farm to house up to 25,000 animals.

Controversial plans to build a US-style mega #pig-farm in South Derbyshire suffered a setback after the local council refused to back the scheme.

Its failure to be approved at local level is a blow to the proposed development as it moves on to its most important and critical final hurdle – consideration by Derbyshire county council – at a meeting likely before the end of the year.

Midland Pig Producers (MPP) has applied for permission to build the #farm – which could house up to 25,000 #animals – on a greenfield site west of the historic village of Foston and adjoining a women's prison.

But at a public meeting , members of the planning committee of South Derbyshire district council – in its role as a consultee – voted by a majority not to back the scheme.