The plan for Britain’s first “factory farm” for cows has stirred up the debate on the future of farming in Europe.

Similar “feedlot” dairies are commonplace in the U.S., but plans for a complex housing up to 8,100 cows in England is the first proposal on such a large scale in Western Europe. It is still far from clear whether they will be accepted on a continent increasingly obsessed with where its food comes from.

There’s a certain irony in the timing: Nocton Dairies has submitted its application to open the huge industrial dairy just as the anti-industrial farming movie “Food Inc.” opens in cinemas across the UK.

The plans have sparked fierce protests from an unlikely alliance of campaigners that includes dairy farmers and animal rights activists, with everything from concern about damage to local archaeology, pollution and animal welfare being put forward as objections.

“Anyone with any concern for animals or the countryside should be against this,” Justin Kerswell, from Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (Viva!) told CNN.

“It’s a massive step backwards just as consumers are becoming more and more aware of where their food comes from.

“Although we are against dairy full stop we are realistic enough to know that we need to focus on improving the system.”