Farm will house 250,000 birds

Plans for two extra chicken sheds which will see a farm house a quarter of a million birds have been given the green light.

Poulton Farm, in Little Minsterley, near Shrewsbury, already houses 120,000 birds, was given the green light by Shropshire Council’s Central Planning Committee at a meeting yesterday.

No objections had been made to the plans, which were presented to the committee unchallenged.

Phillip Mullineux, planning officer, told members: “The site is located directly to the south of the existing farmstead at Poulton Farm and the proposed development will be built either side of the existing two intensive poultry units on site.

“In addition to the farmhouse at Poulton Farm there is a single residential property known as Greenfields and this is located approximately 150 metres from the sheds and screening is afforded by the existing farm buildings.

“Poulton Farmhouse is occupied by the applicants and Greenfields by Mrs Jones senior, all of whom have a financial interest in the proposed poultry development.

“There are currently two poultry buildings situated to the rear of the farm yard which were commissioned early in 2016 and house up to 120,000 broiler chickens.

“It is proposed to erect two new buildings either side of these existing sheds to increase total number of birds on site to 250,000.

“A permit variation has been issued by the Environment Agency to cover the additional sheds and increase in bird numbers.

“The two additional buildings will be operated on the same cycle as the existing poultry units.

“With the broilers brought in as day old chicks at a 50-50 mix of males and females, at the end of the growing period they will be collected and transported to a processing plant.

“The growth cycle will result in the birds being around 1.9kg in weight by clear out. This is the same cycle as those birds reared in the existing poultry buildings.

“The break between crops will be at least 10 days, leading to an average of 8 crops per annum.”

Councillor Tony Parsons said he had some reservations about the development but these had been allayed by the report.

Councillor Ed Potter added: “There are no objections and the report has thrown up no concerns so I move it for approval.”

The application was passed unanimously.

Mr Mullineux added: “It is acknowledged that the development is significant in scale and does have a limited impact on the landscape.

“However it is considered that the proposed development, with consideration to the surrounding landscape character, topography and field layout, and existing development on site, (which includes consideration to the AONB), as well as the original farmstead, that with further landscape mitigation, development can be successfully integrated into the surrounding landscape.

“On balance with consideration to the location, size and scale and cumulative impacts, it is considered that there will not be an adverse impact.

“Also the economic benefits to the business concerned and production of local food with further landscape mitigation in the form of native planting and the external colour of the development, is on balance acceptable in principle.”