A NEW slurry store could be built in a village near Bridgwater as plans have been submitted to Somerset Council.

Finefarm Ltd has applied to construct an earth bank slurry store and associated landscaping at Manor Farm in the village of Otterhampton.

The proposed store, spanning 100 metres by 45 metres, will allow for the farm to increase its current winter slurry storage capacity to seven months' worth, according to the planning application.

"Increasing the farms winter storage capacity will allow better nutrient management, further reduce soil damage and pollution risks from winter spreading, and meet the waste storage requirements relating to both current and emerging regulations," the applicant explained.

The proposed new store will be situated next to, and gravity-fed from an existing store, which until now has been relied on as the farm's primary storage facility.

For more information on the plans, search reference number 39/24/00005 on Somerset Council's online planning portal.

Public consultation on the plans is open, and comments are welcomed until Friday, July 5 - a decision could be made from the following day.