Shed for 45,000 poultry birds near Shrewsbury approved

Peter and Margaret Williams will build the shed at Bank House Poultry close to Yockleton, near Shrewsbury, after permission was granted by planning officers at Shropshire Council.

Hard standing, feed bins and a dirty water storage tank will all be built as part of the project and landscaping work will also be carried out at the farm.

It comes after the couple built four poultry sheds during the summers of 2013 and 2014 as they diversified from arable farming into broiler poultry production. Each shed contains a maximum of 45,000 birds.

The planned new shed will allow for further expansion of the poultry enterprise. The new shed would measure 3,330ft x 80ft and would have an open-plan design which would allow the birds to walk freely.

The birds raised at Bank House Poultry are reared for Moy Park,which produces organic, free range and corn fed poultry.

The project was approved on Monday by council officers using delegated powers, which are used for deciding whether to grant planning permission for a development which has no significant impact on the public interest or does not attract objections.

Building the new shed will create one additional job.

The farming business currently operates with two full-time employees and four part-time seasonal members of staff along with casual labour during the period when the birds are introduced to the sheds.

One objection to the scheme was received on the grounds of increased manure and flies.

In a design statement submitted as part of the planning application, Anne-Marie Brettell, from Nock Deighton Agricultural, says: "The demand for the new broiler poultry sheds is driven by consumer demand through an increasing population and the 'healthy' perception and diversity of poultry meat and the desirability of increasing national self-sufficiency.

"The planning application proposes the expansion of the existing poultry enterprise at Bank House Poultry with the erection of an additional poultry shed adjacent to the existing site.

"The existing and proposed poultry site is located within an undulating agricultural landscape being over 1km from the populated village of Yockleton, yet still within close proximity to the farm complex at Bank House Farm to ensure welfare and security issues are controlled.

"The planning application seeks to expand a farm diversification project.

"The materials chosen for the building will enable the development to blend in against the existing development with the shed to be positioned immediately adjacent to the existing four sheds and along the same line.

"The manure will be spread on land used by the farming business."

In the UK in 2012, 31.5kg of poultry meat was consumed per person. The British Poultry Council states that 95 per cent of the UK population eat chicken.