Sheds for 72,000 chickens to be approved

Plans to house 72,000 hens on a farm in South Shropshire are set to be given the go ahead.

G&M Povall and Son want to transform part of their dairy farm into a poultry rearing farm and have asked Shropshire Council for permission to build two barns on their farm in Aston Munslow, near Craven Arms.

The plans will go before the council’s south planning committee next week and are recommended for approval.

Planning officer Graham French, in his report to the committee, said the plans are acceptable for approval.

He said: “The applicants are a family business who farm land adjoining the B4368 at Aston Munslow and at Elsich Barn Farm, Siefton.

“The main enterprise of dairy farming is volatile so the family wishes to diversify and establish a poultry rearing enterprise, ‘Valley View Poultry’.

“The dairy buildings are located at Elsich Barn Farm but it is necessary to keep the poultry and dairy buildings separate for operational and biosecurity reasons.

“The applicant is in discussion with Country Fresh Pullets (part of the Lloyds Animal Feed Group) who are leading suppliers of pullets to the UK free range egg industry.

“It is proposed to construct two poultry buildings housing a maximum of 76,000 rearing birds in total.

“The buildings will each measure 91.43m x 21.33m and will typically house approximately 36,000 pullets (72,000 in total).”

While the plans are recommended for approval by the officer, there have been a number of objections, including from Munslow Parish Council, which is worried about the impact on the landscape and the fact that it may put off potential tourists to the area.

But Mr French said: The proposals are put forward to enable diversification of the applicant’s agricultural enterprise given the volatility of the main business of dairy farming. The justification for placing the site in this location can be accepted in principle as the only other land available to the applicant is less suitable, being located in potentially more visible location within the AONB and close to the applicant’s dairy activities, thereby raising biosecurity and operational issues.

“The individual impacts raised by the proposals have been assessed by the applicant’s EIA and in a comprehensive planning consultation process.

“Objections have been received from the parish council, the CPRE and 57 local residents.

“However, there have been no objections from technical consultees. This includes with respect to ecology, highways, public protection, conservation/heritage, drainage and water resources.”

The meeting will be held next Tuesday at Shirehall, Shrewsbury.