Call to reject Shropshire chicken sheds plan over traffic fears
Planning officers have told councillors to reject an application to build sheds for 200,000 chickens over concerns about the impact deliveries will have on nearby residents.
Shropshire Council's Central Planning Committee has been advised to refuse an application to build four poultry houses at Sunderton Farm, Uffington.
The application will be considered by the committee next Thursday.
Planning officers have questioned the impact of the development on nearby residents. They say they are concerns about the increase in vehicles travelling to and from the site.
A bid to limit the impact by restricting the number of night time journeys was dismissed.
A report submitted to councillors stated: "It is considered that the proposal as submitted will lead to an unacceptable loss of amenity to occupiers of neighbouring residential dwellings by virtue of traffic movements. It is not considered that a condition to limit night-time movements is sufficient to overcome these objections.
"The benefit of additional glazing to reduce noise levels is not proven."
Sunderton Farm is located at the end of a two-kilometre private drive off the B5062, which connects Shrewsbury and the village of Roden. The application requested permission to build four poultry houses, for 200,000 chickens, feed bins, solar panels, and changes to the vehicle access. The report by case officer Frank Whitley said development was considered acceptable in all respects, apart from the noise created by vehicles travelling back and forth from the farm.
It states: "The occupiers of affected dwellings are likely to be subjected to severe night-time disturbance, and the initial proposal to limit traffic movements to no more than one return movement per hour is not considered adequate to protect the occupiers of nearby dwellings. In any event the business model requires the capability of two or more return movements per hour so such a condition is likely to be unworkable."
It adds: "In all other respects the development is considered acceptable, but this is not considered sufficient to outweigh the harm identified above in the overall planning balance. There is an unacceptable risk of harm the amenity of nearby residents."
