Councillors have approved plans to grow salads, fruit and vegetables indoors in a large unit near Beverley, despite concerns the “hideous” building will have a major impact on neighbours.

One town and two parish councils and 24 residents opposed the plans, which includes a 14 metre high vertical farming unit, where produce will be grown in stacks under LED lights.

The scheme off Hull Road, Woodmansey, also includes two office buildings, parking for 55 cars and an “energy generation” building.

The agent for developer Key Growing Ltd told East Riding councillors once built, it would be the most advanced of its type in the UK, putting Woodmansey, once known for its extensive glasshouses "back on the map as a leading horticultural growing area".

Neighbours living on Hull Road, Woodmansey, are worried about its impact

But ward councillor Kerri Harold said the "hideous" structure, which would be built on a green field “that would never see the light of day again”, would be in view of 67 homes, despite proposed landscaping.

She was supported by several councillors, including Geraldine Mathieson who questioned whether it would really help in terms of food security. Coun Mathieson said: "No one is going to go hungry for lack of strawberries at Christmas or basil to put in pesto or lettuce on a sandwich...I don't think it's right in this specific location which is currently a field with sheep in it."

And Coun John Whittle said the impact on residents would be “enormous”, adding: “To them it looks like an Amazon warehouse. While I appreciate fully it is the modern way of farming and this is the way forward, it is better suited to an industrial site

"I support improvement and innovation but it is quite simply in the wrong place."

A side view of the vertical farming unit

The growing unit will get energy from an existing anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, with gas which currently goes to the National Grid, converted to electricity to provide power for the LED lighting systems.

The green waste from the unit will be fed into the digester, and the nitrogen and carbon dioxide produced as by-products in the AD plant, used in the growing process. It would also create 40 to 50 jobs and up to 100 in the supply chain, the meeting heard.

Councillors had deferred the application for clarification from the Government on whether the unit was deemed agricultural or industrial.

The meeting heard there was no case law on the subject and it hadn't been tested in the courts.

The National Planning Casework Unit had confirmed it was up to the local authority to make an assessment.

Coun Charlie Dewhirst said they were in line with neighbouring councils, and the proposed building was no bigger than a grain or potato shed. Meanwhile former farmer Coun Gary McMaster said from the outside the unit may look industrial – but inside it was “definitely agriculture”.

He said: “This is evolution, things change, we move from vast, open fields when I was a farmer to greenhouses.

"This is the future of farming. We need to find ways to grow more and more crops in less space.”

Councillors approve plans to grow fruit, salads and veg indoors in huge unit on field near Beverley