Shadingfield: High Court quashes 141,000-chicken farm plans

A proposed chicken farm for 141,000 birds has had its planning permission quashed by the High Court.

East Suffolk Council had approved the application by Merrells Growers Limited on 17 January last year.

The facility, earmarked for land close to Moat Farmhouse in Shadingfield, would have consisted of three poultry houses for birds bred for meat.

The High Court reversed the decision as the effects of poultry manure had not been considered.

The development had been planned for two hectares (20,000 sq m) of arable land, close to the Grade II* listed Moat Farmhouse and West End Farm.

Merrells had proposed it would serve the Crown Chicken processing factory at nearby Eye.

John Fitzsimons, a member of Cornerstone Barristers, said client Thomas Keating had brought a Judicial Review against the council.

Cornerstone Barristers said the application had "failed to include adequate information about the disposal of waste from the facility" and did not assess "the quantity of waste" or how it would be disposed of.

The High Court approved an order on 8 March quashing the original decision.

In a statement of reasons, Timothy Corner, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, said the council "accepts it failed to adequately consider the direct and indirect environmental effects of the poultry manure".

The application had originally been approved despite 98 of 103 public responses opposing the plans.

Objections included concerns about odour, noise, light pollution and heavy HGV traffic.

Comments submitted to the authority had included one by David Ramm, on behalf of the owner of Moat Farm, who said: "The superb secluded location described by the valuer at the time of purchase will be destroyed."

He said when the farm owner had heard of the plans he had replied: "I can't think of anything worse."

East Suffolk Council declined to comment.

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