Chicken farm will house 180,000 farms under plans set for approval
Plans to double the size of a chicken farm at a cost £1.5 million have been recommended for approval by planning officers.
The number of broiler chickens, bred for meat, will increase to 180,000 under the plans for Wernhalog Farm in Llanfaredd, near Builth Wells.
If approved at a meeting of Powys County Council's planning committee on Thursday, an extra two poultry units of 45,000 chickens each will be added to the site as well as “air scrubbers” to clean the air.
The family were given planning permission in March 2019 for two poultry units to keep up to 90,000 chickens. The development has been operating since October 2020 and the latest plans also include fitting air scrubbers to the existing units.
The application is in front of councillors after been “called in” by the local councillor Maureen Mackenzie.
Councillor Mackenzie said: “I have received comments and written material from some of my constituents which make it clear to me that there are significant issues which require full and thorough evaluation. ”
Llanelwedd community council has discussed the application and supports it.
The council said that it had received concerns about noise and light but felt the scheme would “bring work to the area and would be beneficial to the vicinity.”
In her report Powys council planning officer, Louise Evans said: “It is recognised that there are arguments both for and against the sustainability of intensive livestock units in the UK as well as the overall impact of the development on the environment and local populations.
“All development has an impact, and it is the role of the planning authority to assess whether the impact is acceptable or unacceptable taking into account material planning matters.
“Having been assessed and taking into account the comments of consultees and members of the public, the development is considered to not unacceptably affect the environment.”
Ms Evans added that she believes the scheme complies with local and national planning policy.
Ms Evans said: “The information submitted within the Environmental Statement has been considered in full in reaching the decision made on this application and the recommendation is conditional consent.”
There are a number of conditions that would be attached to the planning permission, including that all manure and dirty water from the development be sent to an anaerobic digester for processing and not be spread directly on any land.
A further sustainable drainage application will also need to be approved.
