A huge new building for the Natural History Museum could be built in the countryside if councillors grant planning permission this week.

The London-based museum wants to build a research and storage facility – housing material ‘equivalent to the length of over 211 Diplodocuses’ – at Thames Valley Science Park in Shinfield.

But the building, together with a new access road, would be a new development on countryside land – and some nearby residents have objected to Wokingham Borough Council.

Stephen Kitt of Sea Buckthorn said: “There is already far too much building in the area. I am suffering with breathing issues due to all the added building pollution not to mention damage to the natural environment.

“The overdevelopment already being carried out is not sustainable and destroying the last remaining green natural area in Shinfield.”

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And Jonathan Sellars of Fairmead Road said: “Shinfield and the surrounding suburbs is going the same way as many boroughs in west London, once village areas blighted and forgotten at the expense of the industrial scale development.

“This area used to be one of the most diverse for habitat and wildlife and is rapidly being paved over.”

The Natural History Museum says it needs the new building to house around a third of collection, as well as “cutting edge laboratories” for its scientists.

Designs submitted to Wokingham Borough Council say the move would “entail the largest ever move of natural history specimens globally – 28 million specimens in total – equivalent to one third of NHM’s collection.”

They add: “In addition, 5,500 metres of library material will also be moved – equivalent to the length of over 211 Diplodocuses.”

The building will take up space “equivalent to three football pitches” and be four storeys high. It will also be flanked by the wooded New Covert and the ancient woodland of St John’s Copse.

Councillors on Wokingham Borough’s planning committee are set to decide whether to approve the project at a meeting on Wednesday, March 13.

Planning officers are strongly recommending that they approve the plans. Their report to councillors says the ‘economic, social and sustainable benefits’ that the facility would bring outweigh ‘any adverse impacts on the countryside.’

They note that there have already been ‘significant changes to the landscape’ around the science park, including the construction of Shinfield studios.

Planning officers say: “In principle the location of the site in the countryside means that there is a conflict" with planning policies. But they add: "For the reasons discussed in the planning balance section of the report, any adverse impacts on the countryside are outweighed by the economic, social and sustainable benefits that this important facility would deliver.

“115 permanent positions would directly be employed by the operation of the building and there would be 83 supporting roles. Construction activities would also generate 326 jobs both on site and in the wider supply chain over a three year build phase.”