Plans for slurry lagoon on farm

Controversial plans for a slurry pond at a farm near Meifod will return to  Powys County Council’s planning committee for a decision next Thursday.

The application for an earth banked slurry lagoon and associated works by J and E Williams of Newbridge Farm, near Meifod, was in front of councillors at their last meeting in June.

But the application, which is in a field sandwiched between the A495 and B4389 roads, had to be deferred.

Due to an illness, representatives for the applicant could not appear at the meeting to argue in favour of the proposal.

The application has been called in front of the committee for a decision earlier this year by the former county councillor for the area, Emyr Jones.

The lagoon would measure  27metres by 23metres and be 4.6metres deep.

The site is close to a very historic part of Powys, Mathrafal – the medieval capital of the Kingdom of Powys – and is near to both the Banwy and Vyrnwy rivers.

Llangyniew community council has objected to the application and believe that an alternative site is needed.

People living in the area have also objected to the proposal for a number of reasons.

A spokesman for the objectors said: “This proposed lagoon, by to the road will be clearly visible.

“It is causing a great deal of concern to local residents, not only visual implications but the risk of odour and flies.”

“Various other more suitable site have been identified on the 350 acres plus farm but this has been ignored. ”

The opponents of the scheme also believe that the lagoon could have an impact on the youth cultural festival, the Urdd Eisteddfod, which could be returning to Mathrafal in a couple of year’s time.

This is because the slurry lagoon would only be 300 metres from part of the site.

Senior planning officer, Kate Bowen said: “The application is to meet the current needs of the farming enterprise at Newbridge Farm as required by

The Water Resources -Control of Agricultural Pollution- (Wales) Regulations 2021.

“Overall, whilst the contents of the public representations are noted and the proposal would be a new, isolated agricultural development, given the siting, scale and design of the development as well as the distances to public vantage points and recreational assets the landscape and visual impact is considered acceptable.

“It is therefore, concluded that the proposal would not have an unacceptable adverse impact upon the valued characteristics and qualities of the landscape, public rights of way or other public vantage points.”

“The development is acceptable subject to conditions.”

The Williams family will need to abide by 18 conditions to comply with the planning permission.

These include a: hedgerow replacement and aftercare scheme, creating a wildflower area and management plan.

Pollution prevention measures will also need to be put in place and the slurry lagoon can only be used by Newbridge Farm.