Chicken factory objects to new care home

The owner of a poultry factory has objected to plans for a care village over concerns residents might complain about smells from the processing plant.

Castlemeadow Care wants to build a 60-bed care home along with 110 'extra care' apartments and bungalows on the site of former chemical storage warehouses in Attleborough, Norfolk.

Amber REI, which owns Banham Poultry, said it opposed the plan because the care firm had not carried out an odour assessment and it could face restrictions on its business, if residents were to raise issues.

A report for Breckland councillors advised there was a "negligible risk of odour" and they should approve the plan.

The development would be built on the former Brenntag chemicals site and would also include a further 36 flats, shops and a spa with a swimming pool and gym.

Castlemeadow said it would provide "high quality, self-contained and secure accommodation" whilst creating 78 full and part-time jobs.

The Banham Poultry factory – which is opposite the site and employs around 750 people – has previously been prosecuted and fined over odours.

Amber REI said that since it took over the plant, work had taken place to "improve control of odorous emissions".

In its objection, the firm's agent - Pegasus Group - said there had been "historic issues" relating to smell and "there is the potential for adverse consequences affecting new residents".

It warned that an odour assessment had not been carried out as part of the planning application and that any future complaints leading to restrictions on the factory would "not be acceptable".

The firm referred the council to its own report on how much the factory smelled with research including 'sniff testing'.

Consultants representing Castlemeadow said existing restrictions on the factory site should prevent odour becoming a problem for people living in the planned development.

And Breckland's environmental health officer said they were satisfied with the report, which found a "negligible risk of odour".

Attleborough Surgeries also objected to the plan and warned that the demand from so many over-65s moving to the area would "overwhelm the practice" and "put an unmanageable strain on our already stretched services".

But a report for Breckland District Council's planning committee advised councillors that the proposal would help to meet the needs "of an ageing population" and said they should give it approval this week.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.