Chicken farm to double in size to house 400,000 birds

A poultry farm next to the A5 is set to double in size to house up to 400,000 chickens.

The plans were approved by Shropshire Council’s northern planning committee, with members voicing their support for the need to bolster the area’s rural economy and help meet the demands of the UK meat industry.

Great Ness Poultry Ltd had applied to build four more chicken sheds at its farm in Kinton, next to the Nesscliffe Bypass, joining the existing four units built six years ago. Each will house up to 50,000 birds.

Planning officers had recommended approval of the scheme despite having refused a similar application for the site 2019, when they said not enough information had been provided about the potential environmental impacts.

In a report to the committee, officers said their previous concerns had been addressed and there were no objections from the council’s ecology, archaeology, public protection or highways teams or the Environment Agency.

Great Ness and Little Ness Parish Council supported the proposals, however objections were received from six members of the public who voiced concerns over odour, lorry traffic, ammonia emissions the impact on views from Oliver’s Point on Nesscliffe Hill.

Shrewsbury CPRE also objected on grounds of odour and landscape impact.

Planning officer Kelvin Hall told the committee that air scrubbers would be added to the new and existing sheds to reduce ammonia, and manure would be taken off-site to an anaerobic digester, rather than being spread on nearby fields, to address odour concerns.

He added: “Overall we are content that the adverse visual impacts are outweighed by the benefits of the proposal.”

The committee unanimously voted to approve the expansion of the farm.

Councillor Mike Isherwood said: “Supporting local food production has a great deal of merit.

“I think it’s far preferable to extend existing premises like this rather than have new ones in new locations.

“Transport-wise it’s in a pretty good location, and it will help to safeguard jobs in our county.”