More than 300 jobs could be created in Attleborough under plans to move Banham Poultry out of the town centre.

The family poultry processing business wants to invest more than �10m in a new factory at its former Bunns Bank site, which would be funded by a retail development on its existing 12.5 acre factory site near the station.

The move would see the business and about 650 jobs return to the Bunns Bank industrial park a mile out of the town, paving the way for a new supermarket and retail development which could create more than 300 jobs.

Banham Poultry built a factory on a former cider factory site in the town centre in 1999 – just 14 weeks after a fire devastated its factory.

Sarah Foulger, Banham Poultry director, said that the site in the town centre had always been 'temporary'.

'This was always called the temporary site. We are right in the middle of town in a residential area. At the moment this is getting tired. We should become more efficient in the new site.'

She said the business had struggled in recent years operating in a very volatile market with major competition between the main industry players and significant price pressure being imposed by the supermarkets.

Increases in feed prices are set to put further pressure on the business and Miss Foulger said they needed the more efficient factory in order to compete with bigger competitors.

The company is set to submit a planning application in January for a change of use for the Attleborough town centre site and will also put in a detailed planning application for the new factory at Bunns Bank.

A public consultation will be held into the plans at Connaught Hall in Station Road in Attleborough on Wednesday, November 7, between 1pm and 4pm and Thursday, November 8 between 3pm and 7pm.

annabelle.dickson@archant.co.uk