Shropshire farmers hatch new chicken sheds plan
A road could be built to take farm traffic away from a Shropshire village if plans to build sheds for up to 180,000 chickens are approved.
The controversial plans for farm land in Lilleshall were thrown out by Telford planners last month.
But now they have been amended and resubmitted and will go back before councillors next week – and this time they have been recommended for the go-ahead.
An amended application has been lodged by H Timmis Farms to build four poultry houses and a biomass fuel storage and heating building at Littlehales Manor Farm.
The changes to the original application will see one of the proposed sheds nearly halved in size, while a new access road is proposed to take farm traffic from the centre of the village.
The poultry buildings would house about 45,000 birds each.
Last month, planning officers recommended members of Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee refuse the application saying "scale, mass and design" of the proposed building failed to "respect and respond positively to the visual amenities of the area.
But now officer Emma Green said the new application had overcome the issues and would have "additional benefits for the local community by removing existing farm traffic of Pitchcroft Lane and Littlehales Road".
Church Aston Parish Council had previously voted to object to the plans on the grounds of highway safety but said the alternative route now being proposed was "welcomed".
The proposed road was also welcomed by members of Chetwynd Aston and Woodcote Parish Council.
Parish clerk Judy Lea said: "Littlehales Road has been a bugbear for a long time, so if the takes traffic off it that would be good.
"The new road would be very advantageous and protect existing properties from constant noise, vibration and damage caused by heavy vehicles."
The previous application had also received 17 letters of objection, with neighbours raising concerns about smells from the chicken sheds, muck spreading on the fields, noise from fans 24 hours a day and additional traffic on Pitchcroft Lane, although a follow-up letter referring to the latest plans said some neighbours' comments had been taken into account.
The decision will be made at a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee on Wednesday at Watling Street in Telford at 6pm.
