Wiltshire councillors have been urged to approve a plan to build a robotic dairy unit in Allington, near Devizes, at tonight’s meeting of the east area planning committee.

Protesters say the new unit, capable of milking 300 cows at a time, will have a huge impact on the village, which has a wide range of listed properties.

Farmer Richard Oram said the new building, on the opposite side of the lane from the main part of Manor Farm, is essential for the continuing viability of the family business but local opinion is divided.

While some villagers support the scheme, others say the new building, which rises to 30 feet at its highest point, will dominate the landscape. The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty insists the dairy unit should be included in the existing farmyard.

The county’s environmental health officer expressed concerns about the intensity of smells emanating from the proposed slurry tank below the area where the cows will be housed, but withdrew its objections after hearing that strict slurry management will be carried out.

A report to this evening’s meeting from planning officer April Waterman concluded: “As a result of its scale, the development would have a negative impact on the visual amenity of the immediate area, but the mitigating landscaping measures offset the intrusion into the greenfield site.”