Bernard Matthews has won permission to extend its seasonal processing facility into a larger, year-round chicken slaughterhouse.

The application was considered by East Suffolk Council’s shadow planning committee (north) in late April, with members voting unanimously in favour of the proposals, subject to certain conditions.

It will see the site, in Holton, Suffolk, extended over adjacent land, creating up to 650 year-round jobs, according to the application, which says it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit staff to the site for seasonal killing alone.