Campaigners seek to block poultry growth in River Severn catchment
© Gary Naylor Photography Anti-broiler farm campaigners have applied for a judicial review of a decision by Shropshire Council to approve the building of four more sheds in the county, warning of potential pollution of the River Severn.
The decision to approve a planning application by broiler grower LJ Cooke & Son at North Farm, Felton Butler, was made by the council in May of this year following a seven-year planning battle.
See also: Lawyers seek compensation for poultry pollution in Wye catchment
The new unit is designed to hold up to 230,000 birds and includes a biomass store, as well as air-scrubbers to reduce emissions and odour.
LJ Cooke also plans to export the poultry manure to an off-site anaerobic digester (AD)
But local resident Alison Caffyn, backed by campaign group River Action, has employed law firm Leigh Day to continue the legal battle with a claim for a judicial review.
Environmental impact
In particular, they say the planning approval failed to assess the impact of emissions from burning biomass, and failed to assess the effects of spreading digestate from the AD plant, which could still pollute groundwater with phosphates.
Dr Caffyn said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to challenge this attempt to impose yet another massive factory farm upon the beautiful Shropshire countryside.
“We simply cannot allow the creation of more of these giant clusters of polluting poultry units. There are already well over 20 million chickens in Shropshire, we don’t need more.”
Charles Watson, founder and chairman of River Action, said there was a real danger of the River Severn becoming as polluted as the neighbouring River Wye if further poultry developments were allowed.
“Shropshire is waiving through the planning system more and more huge, intensive poultry unit applications, with no due consideration being given of their cumulative environmental impact,” he said.
Claim dismissed
This claim is dismissed by Shropshire Council, which insists the decision to grant planning permission at North Farm was made “having taken full account of the likely environmental impacts of the proposal on the environment, including on water resources”.
“The permission includes a number of conditions to control how the development is carried out, and the operation would also be regulated under an environmental permit,” said a spokesman.
The council was “considering its position”, he added, having received a claim form for judicial review.