A BISHOP'S Hull farmer hopes the old adage 'Where there's muck there's brass' comes true for him.

Will Venn wants to turn his cows' slurry into energy and heat and to produce fertiliser for use on his farm.

Mr Venn, of Newley Farm, in Upcott Road, has applied for planning permission to build an anaerobic digester and control room on his land.

The development, if approved by Taunton Deane Borough Council, would be 30.6 metres long, with the digester container 13.7 metres high.

But the application says it won't impact on the surrounding area as the nearest home is 175 metres away and the buildings will be shielded by trees.

It adds that Mr Venn is currently "streamlining" his "successful and efficient dairy enterprise" consisting of a 500-strong herd.

It says: "Slurry handling, therefore, is a major cost and technical preoccupation for a livestock farmer.

"For a growing number of farmers, this has led to the installation of anaerobic digesters, working with a technology that not only takes care of their slurry, but also provides an easier-to-handle fertiliser and provides a stake in the renewable energy business."

Referring to the size of the digester, which includes a 24.6-metre diameter container, the application says: "The scale of the building is necessary to enable the applicant to process the required amount of slurry."

A statement to planners says: "The need to provide slurry treatment is the result of growth associated with the operation of a successful farming enterprise together with a rising increase in the demand for milk.

"Slurry waste is an increasing issue, but by placing an AD installation on the farm, this waste, and its methane emission are converted into green energy and heat, which can be used on the farm. The residual manure can be used as fertiliser.

"In principle, the proposals is acceptable in that it can clearly be shown to be reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture and will also preserve and enhance the environment.

It adds that the scheme would help support the growth of the farm and benefit the rural economy."

The site, backing onto Barr Lane, would not stand out, according to the document, due to the surrounding topography and existing farm buildings. Apart from a maintenance van accessing the site fortnightly, traffic would be limited to farm vehicles.