Big breakthrough for dairy campaigners

 

In November, Powys County Council ignored the advice from its own planners to conditionally approve the proposal submitted by farmer Fraser Jones in his bid to revive an ailing business.

 

But it was vehemently opposed by residents on several grounds, particularly the fact that it could have an environmental and health impact on the neighbouring school.

 

They took their fight to the Welsh Government and last night the Campaign Against Leighton Farm Expansion (CALFe) received news that the fight goes on.

 

“Calfe, on behalf of all its supporters, is delighted that the Environment Minister has decided to call in this planning application,” said a statement.

 

The Welsh Government has called in the application after stating that there is ‘insufficient information to show that all the relevant policy considerations have been fully addressed by Powys County Council's Planning Committee in reaching its decision on this planning application’. The Minister responsible concludes that the application ‘appears to conflict with national policies relating to pollution control and conservation of the historic environment’.

 

An inspector will now be appointed to take over the case when CALFe will have the chance to put their views either through a planning expert or individually or a combination of both. The process could take up to 18 months to reach a final decision.