Approval was given by officers at East Riding Council last month for the £94m Smith & Nephew factory under what is known as "special delegated powers."

A new advanced wound management manufacturing and R&D facility will be built on a 9.93 hectare site at Melton West business park eight miles from Hull after the company was unable to find a suitable site within the city, where it was founded in 1856.

East Riding Council's inward investment team said “one of the area's most prestigious blue-chip companies” was looking to grow and expand and the site was an "ideal fit".

In a council report it added: "The new facility will amalgamate operations that are currently spread across nine buildings into one seamless space that is not only more economically viable but will also support all functions required by the business.

"Employee retention will increase as staff are situated in a modern building that echoes the change in both the brand over the last 100 years and the change in the way people work by introducing amenities on site for staff to enjoy. "

North Ferriby parish council said it was "exactly the sort of development" they wanted on site, but raised concerns over data captured by an air quality monitor at Reynolds Close in the village. That showed that fine particulates produced by exhausts, tyres and brakes, known as PM2.5, jumped to 11.8 micrograms per cubic metre on average during 2022, a fraction under the target which the government is currently consulting on (12 by 2030 and 10 by 2040).

Roughly five per cent the thickness of a human hair, PM2.5 emissions are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and have been linked to health conditions, including respiratory illnesses.

Smoith & Nephew will occupy a site just off the A63 at Melton West business park

The site, which will have 540 parking bays and 80 cycle spaces, is expected to attract a daily two-way trip rate of 1,020 vehicles.

The council’s report said in response to concerns over the content and accuracy of the air quality assessment “the model has been updated and re-run, as suggested by the parish council with the conclusion remaining unchanged, being that the development would have a negligible impact.”

Its environmental control specialist had advised that the development remains “acceptable”.

One villager from North Ferriby said the new facility would be further away from houses and was preferable to the huge Amazon scheme earmarked for the business park, which was approved in 2021 despite 1,300 objections.

However she was concerned for the safety of children crossing the roundabout on their way to South Hunsley School, which w ill also be used by the extra traffic. She added: "It doesn’t take anyone with a science degree to see it will have a negative impact on air quality ."

Smith & Nephew and East Riding Council were approached for comment.

Plans approved for new £94m Smith & Nephew manufacturing and R&D facility in East Yorkshire