A fourth huge sugar silo is to be built at the British Sugar factory in York.

Planning councillors have given the go-ahead to the building of a 46 metre-high silo.

They heard that the building of the new silo would cut down on the number of heavy goods vehicles driving to and from the factory in Plantation Drive, off Boroughbridge Road.

At the moment the factory imports sugar from British Sugar's factories in Norfolk to help meet the demand of York area customers outside the "campaign" period, resulting in about 1,250 two-way journeys a year.

British Sugar said the new silo would double the existing silo storage capacity, cutting the number of journeys.

Cliff Carruthers, head of development control at the City of York Council, told councillors that the fourth silo would not be visible from Plantation Drive.

But he said it could be seen from further afield; from the ring road, Shipton Road and Clifton Bridge areas. However, these places already had views of the three existing silos.

He said the new silo would not affect the smells and odours from the premises, since it would be enclosed and would not alter the processes taking place at the plant.

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