Free-range egg unit plans approved

County planners have given the go-ahead today for a 16,000-bird free-range poultry unit to be built near Presteigne.

Applicant Tim Hodnet asked permission to install the egg production building along with feed bins and a packing and storage unit at Willey Cottage Farm, in Willey, close to the Welsh border.

Malcolm Temple, an objector speaking at the planning committee meeting, raised concerns about the size of the proposal, manure spreading and the plan’s impact on the local roads and wider countryside.

He said: “According to Defra regulations the plans show only half the outdoor space necessary for 16,000 chickens.

“For the transport, four miles of upland road will need upgrading, totally out of keeping with the scenic aspect of the area.

“This will be a highly visible totally incongruous factory building and we are concerned with the precedent it might set.”

Sam Harrison, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the scheme was acceptable and in line with planning policies.

He said: “Units of 64,000 and well above that are no longer usual. This is not a large-scale intensive livestock unit but small-scale essential farm diversification initiative for a family farming business.

“This is a proposal for a farm building on an established farm immediately adjacent to existing farm buildings.

“It is clearly acceptable in principle in principle and planning policy terms.”

Councillors Felicity Norman and Anthony Powers raised concerns about the potential impact manure spreading on the site could have on phosphate levels of the Lime Brook which is a tributary of the river Lugg.

Coun Powers said: “The Lugg catchment is currently and has been for years above the legal limit for phosphates.”

But coun Terry James said the committee was heading into ‘cloud-cuckoo land’.

“We’ve given planning permission for units of hundreds of thousands on farms with not as many acres.

“This is a small free-range application. Remember the amount of manure taken off site would be minuscule because a high percentage of that would be dispersed naturally being free range anyway.

“This is a planning application in which there are no strong grounds to refuse.

“I’m not a great lover of intensive poultry units but let’s get real. Let’s not pretend there are reasons to refuse it.”

Council officers recommended approving the scheme subject to conditions and councillors approved the plan with eight votes for it, one against and one abstention.