Sheds for 100,000 birds to be built near Shrewsbury

The sheds and a biomass boiler will be built on land south of The Vinnals in Longden, near Shrewsbury.

Shropshire Council's central planning committee narrowly approved the proposals at a meeting at Shirehall on Thursday.

The plans had previously been recommended to be refused by planning officers, saying the benefits of the poultry units did not outweigh the harm the development would have had.

Concerns were raised about the hours of operation and level of traffic created by HGVs accessing the site.

But after the applicants made changes to the plans, including adding passing areas on the access roads and limiting the hours HGVs could operate at the site, councillors agreed to delegate powers to the planning services manager to grant permission subject to conditions.

Councillor Tim Barker said despite the objections to the increase in the number of HGVs driving through Longden, it had to be remembered they had every right to use the roads.

He said: "All of us who live in the country know everything gets bigger every year, including tractors and trailers. The impact is heavy on lots of villages but they are a fact of life.

"They are entitled to use the roads. You just have to tolerate them. However, the policing is of prominent importance. It is a question of balance." The plans were approved by five votes to three, with one councillor abstaining.

Local member Roger Evans said the community did not want the development.

He told the committee: "I have been involved ever since it first came up.

"I am not against poultry units, I have voted in favour of them when they are in the right location. This is in totally the wrong location. I look at the community and the community does not want it. I don't want it.

"If we want to protect the countryside it is in the wrong position."