Tasley Chicken Farm row - 210,000-bird plan near Bridgnorth is approved despite protest

Protesters, chanting and waving placards, were opposing the plans, involving four poultry buildings, a gatehouse and a water tank, at Footbridge Farm in Tasley.

They had been recommended for approval despite more than 230 objections.

Shropshire Council's south planning committee this afternoon voted to approve the application, with a change of colour to the units.

The decision was met with calls of "shame on you" from the public.

Earlier, Tasley Chicken Factory Farm Action Group had gathered at the site of the proposed development, where councillors were taking part in a site visit.

Reporter Tom Oakley was on the scene:

The application received more than 300 objections in total. Residents told how they were concerned about noise, dust, smells, and health issues if the plans were to go ahead.

Chairman of the committee David Evans started the meeting by saying he has no connection with the plans, even though he is in the poultry business.

He said: “We have no connection with the applicant or the application.”

Resident Les Berryman asked councillors to reject the application on behalf of the residents, as houses could be built in close proximity to the farm at a later date.

He said: “The residents of Tasley and Bridgnorth ask councillors to reject this application.

“The SAMDev plan indicates the building of 500 houses close to the farm in which 300 would be closer than the current houses.

“It would have a negative impact on the tourism in Bridgnorth.”

Tasley Parish Councillor David Ball addressed the meeting by saying that the site is too close to the community.

He said: “We are concerned about this poultry farm because it’s far too close to the community of Bridgnorth and Tasley. The people deserve to be protected from that kind of pollution.

“This is a unique case, it’s near schools and vulnerable children. We have a duty of care to look at this seriously.”

Agent Ian Pick responded to concerns by explaining that the plans meet relevant criteria.

He said: “We only need to assess dust if there’s a dwelling within 100 metres of the site. Outside of that criteria it’s not an issue in the UK.

“It was mentioned that the development is unique, Wigley Farm in Ludlow is the same distance away from houses and there were no objections when it was expanded.”

Shropshire Councillor Madge Shineton said she wants to eat meat produced in the UK which is produced under UK regulations.

She said: “I do believe the environmental permits with this type of development are extremely rigid and strict.

“The last thing I want is to think I might be eating chickens that come from across the continent or America, I want to be sure the food I eat is produces in This country under the regulations we have.

“I’m satisfied we’ve done all we can as a committee to as this site is acceptable.”

Shropshire Councillor David Turner added: “There’s a significant investment in poultry units, they had to be sure standards are at the absolute pinnacle as financial failure can’t be contemplated.”

Councillors voted to approve the application with a change of shade of the colour of the units.

Earlier, during the protest at the site visit, Bridgnorth mayor Ron Whittle said the farm could pose a "potential disaster".

"There's obviously a lot of feeling that this is going to cause problems but also a potential disaster", he said.

"If they have avian flu at this farm, which has happened at similar farms in the past. It shuts down a 3km radius which includes the whole of Bridgnorth.

"For our tourism and for our general population that would be a disaster. As a town council we don't have any real influence over it but all we can do is come along and make our feelings felt."

Nicky Squire, aged 53, from Bridgnorth, said she had concerns over the health of children living on nearby housing estates.

"There's a lot of children who live on the housing estate so there's concerns about health and the affect that dust will have when playing out in the gardens," she said.

"I think the main affect would be public health issues. The toxic dust which contains chicken poo, antibiotics, dead chicken skin. Apparently it's really bad for people with asthma.

"The smell and it will not be pleasant. I'm really concerned that about how far the smell will travel."

Bridgnorth resident Simon Marston, 37, believes the farm will have have a negative impact on the economy.

"It brings no benefits to the local community, he said.

"If Bridgnorth smells then it's going to impact the economy. "I think the farm will be hugely detrimental. There's research which shows a strong link between the dust emitted from these sites and respiratory diseases.

"The smell will damage the tourist trade. There's a lot of people in houses close to the site and normally they're located in rural location."

Councillor William Parr, who represents the Bridgnorth East ward, was among the three councillors to vote against the farm.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "I was tremendously disappointed with the outcome. It is on the cusp of Bridgnorth and there will be the problem of noise and pollution. It's not going to produce many jobs and apart form having an environmental impact, regardless of what I hear about other farms it is too close to Bridgnorth."