Market Drayton egg farm protesters 'should be applauded'
Residents' views should be considered more thoroughly when councils make planning decisions, a councillor said.
The Betton and Norton Action Group (BAN) was set up to protest the proposal for a 32,000 hen free range egg farm near the village of Norton-in-Hales, which was passed by a Shropshire Council planning committee this week.
Activists had organised petitions and asked councillors to reject the plan, saying it would blight the landscape and interfere with wildlife and a rare type of pasture.
Councillor Roy Aldcroft, who represents the village as part of his Market Drayton East ward, also spoke against the proposal by Merlott Chitty Farms at Tuesday's meeting. Today he said the action group should be proud of their efforts.
"It was a very disappointing outcome for the BAN group at Norton-in-Hales," he said.
"The residents should be applauded for their conduct and the way they waded into extremely complex issues in planning policy and environmental issues.
"I believe more weight should be attached to what local residents say, after all it’s their future such decisions affect."
