Angry protest over chicken sheds plan

MOTORISTS at Presteigne were being urged to honk their horns and show their support for objectors to a planning application for two huge chicken sheds for 80,000 birds right next to ancient Broadheath Common.

Regarded as Presteignes official village green where residents enjoy the open space and the venue for the annual trotting races that have been held there for centuries, protest posters have been going up and objections pouring in.

Powys County Council planners in Llandrindod Wells were due to consider the application last Thursday, with an officer recommendation to refuse because of the adverse effects of the location and scale of the development.

But objectors felt they could not let up the battle saying that the sprawling broiler chicken facility could mean foul odours and toxic dust wafting across Presteigne.

Andrea and Steve Jude, owners of the important Clough Williams-Ellis designed Cadw registered Broad-heath House and Historic Garden said: Our plans to reopen these beautiful gardens to the public will be a waste of time if this monstrosity is passed.

How can we promote the gardens and get visitors if the area is surrounded by the disgusting stink that these places always make and if heavy lorries are trundling up and down this road night and day?

Steve also has severe asthma and he says that the dust coming from spreading the tons of poisonous muck around from so many birds could seriously jeopardise his health.

The planning application states that all the manure and bedding will be regularly spread across the fields belonging to the applicant, all of which surround the east of the town of Presteigne and Broadheaths houses, objectors point out.

Wendy Toomey, owner of the historic drovers inn the Cat and Fiddle, joint owner of a cycle business in Presteigne and a member of the Chamber of Trade, said: This inappropriate development will damage the unique historic environment and undermine our fragile but growing tourist economy.

The proposal says there will be one new job created, but with the dreadful smell, masses of extra HGV traffic and continual noise and vibration from the plants high velocity extractors, the visitors just wont want to come here and that could have a devastating impact on the local economy and jobs.

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Angry protest over chicken sheds plan