CONTROVERSIAL plans for a major expansion and redevelopment of a leading Exmoor-based business will go before planners on Tuesday (September 4).

But the Shearwell Data Ltd scheme, which has attracted a raft of opposition locally, is likely to be deferred for Exmoor National Park Authority's planning committee to visit the site.

The Wheddon Cross company, which is owned and run by Richard Webber, specialises in animal identification and tagging systems but also has a livestock unit.

The plans would see a complete revamp of its Putham Farm base to include a new access road and the replacement of existing buildings with offices and research facilities.

The scheme would also involve the creation of light industrial workplace and the development of new agricultural buildings, as well as an extended car park providing spaces for 97 vehicles.

The business currently employs 50 full-time and ten part-time staff, a figure expected to almost double over the next decade, with the creation of 30 new jobs promised within the next 18 months if the plans get the go-ahead.

In an interim report, national park head of planning David Wyborn said the proposal involved the demolition of the existing agricultural element of the main building, replacing it with an extension of a similar footprint for business accommodation.

The overall building would remain around 78 metres in length, with the new agricultural building - 72m long and 23m wide - proposed to the north west of the car park.

As part of the scheme, a second vehicular access route to the site would be created.

It would link from an existing agricultural access on the B3224, about 600m from the centre of Wheddon Cross, which at one point would cross the Coleridge Way bridleway.

The scheme has won support from Cutcombe and Exton parish councils, although both authorities raised some concerns about the proposed new road crossing a bridleway.

West Somerset Council lead officer for economic development Corrine Matthews has also supported the bid, describing Shearwell Data as an exemplar innovatory business.

"The growth of this business from an Exmoor sheep farm to a high tech global business has been phenomenal and has exhibited truly sustainable and ambitious farm diversification," said Ms Matthews.

"I would be very concerned about the impact on the local economy of West Somerset and Exmoor if this business had to relocate away from the area."

But residents at Putham have raised a series of objections, describing the scheme as "monstrous" and the creation of an industrial park on a greenfield site.

Their concerns include the scale of the redevelopment, the impact on the landscape and the inability of planners to "tie" the business use to Shearwell, meaning it could be sold for an alternative "non-local" use in the future.

However, the proposal has also attracted 16 letters of support from Shearwell employees and another from Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions, highlighting the importance of the business.

Mr Wyborn, who is recommending a site visit before any decision is taken, said the main planning issues to be considered were whether the principle of the development was acceptable in what was an open countryside location and whether the impact on landscape, highways and amenity were compatible with the national park.

The site visit is expected to take place in September, with a further report on the application going before the committee at a later date.