Residents of a Nottinghamshire village say they are pleased to see plans refused for a new industrial scale chicken farm. Plans for a poultry farm to be built 500m from Owthorpe, near Cotgrave, had been submitted by Richard Barlow but were unanimously refused by Rushcliffe Borough Council during discussions on Thursday, October 13.
The plans had proposed four purpose-built poultry units and associated infrastructure would be built, allowing the site a total capacity of 190,000 birds. Villagers were frustrated with the plans, which could have seen the chickens residing on the site for seven and a half weeks before being sent to slaughter, allowing the facility capacity to go through more than 1 million animals per year for the sole purpose of meat production.
The main concerns of residents was the size of the farm, the potential health risks from the site and the impact it would have on a nearby astronomical observatory. However, the applicant assured the villagers that they have nothing to worry about and that site's like this are important for "the continued supply of chicken in the shops."
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A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson said: “As outlined on the Planning Decision Notice, the application was unanimously refused by the committee as it failed to meet the requirements of among other policies, the Rushcliffe Local Plan parts 1 and 2. The notice referenced the virtue of the scale and size of the proposed buildings the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on the openness of the Green Belt.
“It also referenced refusal due to the scale and massing of the proposed buildings, failing to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside, the wider benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services and that it would have an unacceptable impact on the appearance and character of the local landscape due to its prominence.
“The notice stated the applicant failed to demonstrate that the proposal would not have any undue impact by virtue of lighting, odour, ammonia, and noise on the amenity of residential properties in this part of Rushcliffe and its impact on lighting levels and heat haze on the effective and ongoing operation of the Nottingham Astronomical Society Observatory.”
Before the council had made its decision, Paul Townsend, a resident of Owthorpe and village spokesperson, said: “It does not take long to find article after article highlighting the health risks related to intensive poultry farming. As the full extent of this is insufficiently understood, even by the scientific community, we are utterly flabbergasted that the council think it is acceptable to press ahead with these plans.
"Many of the residents in Owthorpe are elderly and retired, and some also work outdoors in the village or on adjacent farmland, and so the risk of contracting respiratory illness or symptoms from the pollutants is extremely concerning. We totally appreciate the need for farmers to diversify."
Paul continued: "Our village is built around a family-run farm, and so we are well aware of the struggles they are facing, but this is not a standard, agricultural farm. This is a factory operation that holds zero regard for animal welfare and the environmental damage it is knowingly creating.
"Should the proposals be granted consent on Thursday, we will not stop our campaign. We may be a small village but we are building a collation of influential supporters who are all absolutely resolute in our view that these proposals are fundamentally flawed and negligent.”
The potential heat that could have been produced by the site could have compromised the work by the Nottingham Astronomical Society, which is located 1000m to the north of the proposed facility. The farm would sit in the society's southern viewing aspect, where the light pollution and head haze will impact long-exposure astrophotography.
Dr Fred Hopper, former President of the NAS, said: "There is no way to mitigate the thermal pollution this site will cause. The heat produced will end up in the atmosphere above the site and this will make it impossible to use the NAS observatory for astrophotography.
"This is why so many eminent astronomers from around the country have been so vocal in adding their support to the NAS’ objection to this development. It is important nationally that such developments close to, and due south of British Observatories, are prevented."
More than 400 objections to the application were submitted, including from local MP Ruth Edwards. In response to the concerns, Mr Barlow said: "That's the size that chicken farms are these days, you can't go any smaller than that if you want to get a contract."
When asked about the possible health risks for nearby residents, he said: "I don't know much about that at all as it's not an issue that has come up.
"The Environmental agency and all of the relevant agencies have signed off on it. They are happy with everything, and if they're happy with it then that's all you can do."
He added: "They are worrying about heat haze rising from the sheds, but our job is to try and minimise the heat haze as that's wasted energy. The sheds are insulated and ventilated and everything else.
"The time of year that they are worrying about doing their observations is November, which is when there are clearer nights and skies. There shouldn't be too much heat haze, and at that time of year we are putting the heat in, so the majority of the air coming out from the sheds will be going through a heat exchanger to retrieve that heat, and then warm up the air that's going back into the sheds."
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