Neighbours tell council they will object to chicken farm plans

More than 50 concerned residents attended last night's meeting of Welshpool Town Council Planning Committee to voice concerns about plans for a 150,000-capacity chicken farm at Frochas.

The committee received information about a pre- planning consultation document and agreed to voice concerns about the project to agents Roger Parry & Partners and to Powys County Council.

Residents fear that the major development of an intensive broiler unit and silos at Frochas Farm, just over a mile from Welshpool town centre, may have a direct impact on homes and businesses in terms of ammonia emissions, pollution, manure odour, waste, house and land value, noise pollution and a dramatic increase in heavy vehicle traffic.

Other issues raised at last night’s meeting included: The proximity of the development at just over 450metres from Llanerchyddol Hall -  a Grade 11 listed building of local importance; closeness to Glyndwr’s Way and footpaths; health related issues and being too close to Dingle Nurseries.

The Town Council planning committee agreed to write to Roger Parry & Partners and Powys County Council expressing:

a) Concern over the impact the development might have on the landscape and local environment and there needs to be evidence of how this can be mitigated.

b) Concern over health and environmental issues and would suggest that evidence of how these issues can be overcome needs to be part of any planning application.

c) Concern over the increase in traffic movements – an impact assessment on traffic issues needs to be produced.

d) A footpath diversion order will be required.

e) Concern over the views from Llanerchydol Hall and Llanerchydol Park towards development – a mitigation report to address these issues will be required to demonstrate the effect and its acceptability.

f) Concern over the water table and how the development might affect this – a study into this is needed to give confidence that the scheme will work.

g) Concern about the effect on plant life – an ecology report will be needed to show how such plant life will be protected.

h) Concern over the impact on the Dingle Nursery – an impact assessment will be needed to ascertain how much any effect might be.

i) Concern over how manure will be disposed of taking into account smells (when it is put on the land) and how it will be disposed of when the land is ‘full’.

The public present were reminded that their letters of objection will be passed to both Roger Parry & Partners and Powys County Council. However when a planning application is received the current letters will not be taken into account and new objection or support letters will need to be submitted at that time.

County Councillor Graham Breeze told the meeting he would ensure that if any planning application is submitted he would call it in for consideration by the full planning committee and would not be decided by officers.