AN expanding family farm and dairy business is seeking to add two new large modern cattle sheds at its site near Blackburn.

Farmers Colin and Becki Fielding have asked for planning permission to construct the agricultural buildings to house 148 cows, with space for 74 cows in each.

If approved, the new sheds would be at their award-winning Pulford Farm in Belthorn Road, on the moors above Blackburn.

The sheds would enable their business, which bottles and sells its own milk, to expand.

Planning documents for the buildings submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "The development proposal is for a cubicle building for the dairy herd at the farm, which also has a slurry storage facility beneath.

"The farming business at Pulford Farm is operated by the Fielding family, who have been at the farm since 1978.

Lancashire Telegraph: Members of the herd at Pulford Farm DairiesMembers of the herd at Pulford Farm Dairies

"The land area at Pulford Farm (owner-occupied) extends to around 200 acres.

"Additionally a further 50 acres are rented at Feniscowles and 100 acres at Burnley.

"All the land is down to grass for grazing and silage for the livestock enterprises.

"The livestock enterprises comprise of a 180-200 cow dairy herd, followers from the dairy herd (circa 180 head) and a beef enterprise (circa 90 head).

"Essentially all the dairy cows are bred to a black and white sire and all the young stock are retained; the heifers for dairy herd replacements and the bulls reared on a 12 month system for rose veal.

"The farming business also runs a flock of 85 breeding ewes.

"The farm processes and bottles all the milk produced at the farm from the dairy cows.

"The business has its own milk-round and also sells the bottled milk to other milk-round operators.

"The need for the cattle housing buildings at the farm is as a consequence of incremental increases to the cattle numbers over recent years and a need to provide improved housing facilities and welfare for the cattle enterprises.

"The building will provide 74 cubicle spaces each for dairy cows.

"The design replicates a concurrent application for a similar building, i.e. livestock housing with slurry storage beneath.

"The building will be a portal frame structure with in-situ shuttered concrete walls."