Shropshire game bird farm plan sparks vermin fears

Applicants want to create the development at Spring Hill Farm in Warrant Road, Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton.

But local residents and parish councillors raised concerns about the scheme at the Stoke-upon-Tern Parish Council meeting last night.

The birds would be bred and reared for sport, and would be kept in six large pens, with about 1,000 birds per pen.

Speaking at last night's meeting, Councillor Peter Waters, said: "I have had one or two letters from people in the local area about this and I have to agree with everything they say.

"I personally think it's in the wrong place and is surrounded by quite a few houses.These birds are not being produced for the plate."

Councillor Richard Wright said: "I think we should oppose this on the grounds that I don't believe it will create new jobs, it is for a change of use which is less than sustainable and it takes no account of public access."

A local resident attending the meeting added: "The vermin will inevitably increase. We have had foxes, polecats and there are rats.

"There is no mention made of the disposal of dead birds. There will certainly be some casualties among the 6,000 birds and vermin which will become trapped." Despite raising concerns, councillors agreed to defer the item because not all of them had seen the plans.

They agreed members of its planning committee should go on a site visit and report back to the full council at a meeting to be arranged.

Landowner Robert Manning has applied to Shropshire Council for a change of use of the land, via agents Peter Richards & Co. The birds would be present on the farm for 15 to 16 weeks of the year between late February and mid-June.

Meanwhile, councillors were reminded that a public inquiry will be held to decide whether controversial plans to create a traveller site in the area should go ahead.

Developers had their application turned down by Shropshire Council to build pitches for four gipsy caravans plus a utility/day room on land beside the A41 in Tern Hill, near Market Drayton.

But they appealed the decision and have now been told a public inquiry will take place.

The inquiry will be held on October 8 in Market Drayton's Festival Drayton Centre at 10am.

The parish council has withdrawn its highway objection to the development, but is still opposing the plans because of the potential visual and noise impact it would have on neighbours.