Gafoor says business is booming and it needs to expand. Pic: Norbet

A major expansion of a chicken processing plant in Preston has been tabled.

The Gafoor Pure Halal plant would add a 5,000 square metre three story extension to its Fletcher Road base in St Matthews.

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A statement from Equilibrium Architects says the expansion would “lead to the creation of new job opportunities and help maintain the long term viability of Gafoor in the coming years.”

They write: “The development and growth of the company over the last few years now means that it requires more factory space to ensure the long term viability of its business.

“An extension is proposed which will house chilling and storage space for the prepared poultry products and which will then free up space within the existing factory for rationalisation and expansion of the production line.”

The current Fletcher Road base for Gafoor

The current operating times of the plant, which has operated since 2005, is from 6am to 5pm on weekdays.

Plans show the height of the building to be higher than the current processing plant, which architects say is needed to be able to locate water sotrage tanks and a chiller plant higher up in the proposed extension.

Local residents have indicated they will object to the plans, saying it will increase the smells coming from the processing plant.

The size and scale of the plans mean they will be heard by the city council’s planning committee.

The full plans can be viewed on the Preston City Council website and comments can be left there.

Anyone wishing to comment can email devcon@preston.gov.uk quoting reference 06/2014/0710 by Sunday 19 October.

What do you think of the expansion? Do you work there? Let us know in the comments below