Farm homes by planned AD plant passed

A plan to convert buildings at a Herefordshire farm into seven homes has been approved, despite a large digester of chicken waste being also planned alongside them.

In September, a Mr Layton sought confirmation that he could convert three farm buildings at Whitwick Manor, Lower Eggleton between Hereford and Bromyard without full planning permission, under what are known as permitted development rights.

Two nineteenth-century barns were to be turned in three-bedroom houses, while a separate modern, steel portal-framed barn was to become five two-storey homes, each also of three bedrooms.

The farm has attracted controversy over a separate scheme, submitted over two years ago but which has yet to receive planning permission, to create a large anaerobic digester (AD) plant which would use local chicken manure as well as other food and farming waste as a feedstock.

This has so far drawn over 200 public objections.

But Herefordshire Council’s environmental health officer did not object to the conversion plan, saying the impacts of noise and odour from the proposed plant “have been assessed at the nearest receptors, which are in close proximity to these buildings”.

The noise assessment “concluded that the impact would be low/negligible with mitigation”, she said.

Planning officer Amber Morris ruled that Mr Layton’s proposal met the various criteria for permitted development.

The homes’ design would be “typical of a conversion of older and modern agricultural buildings” and was acceptable, Miss Morris said.