Slurry store plans for flood zone face stiff opposition

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Objections have been made against a proposal to build a slurry store on a field known to flood which is close to the River Severn near Welshpool.

Last month A.M. Jones of Lower Leighton Farm, Leighton, lodged a fresh application with Powys County Council to construct the slurry store and associated works at land east of Pool Quay.

The site is a field which is wedged between the A483 trunk road and the River Severn which meanders on its eastern edge. A similar application was lodged with the council in November 2024 but was refused by county planners in May last year on several grounds which highlighted the lack of “safe access and egress” onto the A483 and that it could impact the nearby Montgomery Canal Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI) which is a protected site.

The proposal was discussed by Welshpool Town Council’s Planning and Events committee earlier this month.

Town councillors objected to it, due to the “huge risk” that the slurry could seep into the river causing pollution and that the land is “totally unsuitable” for the scheme.

Save our Severn action group are also against the proposal and said: “It seems surprising to propose to site a major slurry tower in the sensitive Severn floodplain in a field locally known to flood. “

But Planning Agent, Richard Corbett of Roger Parry and Partners explained the proposal in a Planning, Design and Access statement.

Mr Corbett said: “The proposed store will be an addition to a large farming enterprise owned and managed by Court Calmore Farms Ltd.

“The applicant recently purchased 153.89 acres of land adjacent to the A483, (at) Pool Quay and seeks to build the store to help facilitate the timely, environmentally positive application of organic biofertiliser.”

The proposed store will be six metres high and 39 metres wide and to partly get around the previous refusal will be accessed from an existing agricultural track of the A483.

Mr Corbett continued: “The aim of slurry storage is to improve water quality and help mitigate climate change by ensuring sufficient slurry capacity is available for the farming enterprise.”

The main aim of the proposal is to comply with The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021.

On the site being in a flood zone Mr Corbett believes the store is at a “low vulnerability of flooding”.

He added: “No pollution will be emitted from the store, from it being covered. The applicant accepts the risks associated with development within Flood Zone Three.

“The river level is monitored by the applicant and additionally flood alerts are received from NRW (Natural Resources Wales) to reduce further risk.”

Mr Corbett continued: “The applicant farms 2,500 acres in and around Welshpool, the store is an important element of this as it ensures that the biofertiliser is there at the optimal time for deployment.”

It is expected that the application will be go before councillors and be decided by the council’s Planning Committee.

PICTURE: File picture shows flooding close to Welshpool.