Powys poultry farms seek to add 185,100 more birds to sites
Three existing Powys poultry farms are looking to expand so they can rear an extra 185,100 birds in Powys
Llanshay Farm in Knighton, Neuadd Isaf Poultry Farm in Llandrindod Wellls and Rhosddu Farm at Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain have applied for environmental permits from Natural Resources Wales.
Llanshay Farm, the largest of the three is proposing to increase its number of poultry places from 110,000 to 200,000, construct two new poultry sheds and install ammonia scrubbers to all poultry sheds, new and existing, to reduce ammonia emissions to air.
At Neuadd Isaf Farm, William Bedell wants to increase poultry places from 170,900 to 258,000, construct two new poultry sheds fitted with ammonia scrubbers and install heat exchangers to the existing and new sheds to reduce ammonia emissions to the air.
Martyn Langford at Rhosddu Farm wants to increase poultry places from 56,000 to 64,000, and to replace the existing 16,000 bird flat deck (perchery) house with deep pit manure collection with a 24,000 bird multi-tier house (aviary) with a manure belt.
Natural Resources Wales has launched consultations on the environmental permit applications.
A spokesperson said: “Following our assessment of the proposed changes to the three farm permits, and having taken into account all the relevant considerations and legal requirements, we are minded to grant the requested changes.
“Each of the proposed permits contain conditions and limits to protect human health and the environment, and ensure best available techniques are followed by site operators.”
The consultations run between Thursday, July 10 and Thursday, August 14 and you can find more information on NRW’s consultation hub https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/english/
Nick Bettinson, NRW’s Permitting Service Manager, said: “We understand there is likely to be public interest in these applications, so we want to give the public and interested parties an opportunity to comment on our draft decisions.
“Having carefully assessed these three applications, we are minded to grant the variations and are now inviting local residents, community groups, stakeholders and businesses to take part in the consultations and have their say.
“We want to reassure the public that we only grant a permit variation if the proposal meets the requirements of the Environmental Permitting Regulations, and the operator has the ability to meet the conditions of the permit.”
Operators of poultry farms with more than 40,000 birds need both a permit from NRW and planning permission from the local authority to operate - both of which are applied for and issued independently.
Where a poultry farm is subject to both Environmental Permitting Regulations and planning consent, it is the Local Planning Authority’s remit to consider the implications of off-site manure management.
The permitting process can only consider emissions from permitted sites for which NRW has the power to regulate. NRW cannot legally regulate manures from permitted sites through permit conditions, once it has left the permitted boundary.
You can find out more information for each consultation by visiting:
Or https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/english/
Or you can request a copy of the information by emailing permittingconsultations@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
