🚫🐔 Big Chicken Shed Plans Get the Boot! 🐔🚫
In a twist for Coombe Farm, plans for two massive chicken sheds, each housing 42,000 birds destined for our plates, have been axed! 🌳 The Woodland Trust led a successful legal challenge, saying the plans needed an environmental impact review. The farm, located near Shirenewton and already the home to 220,000 broiler chickens, faced scrutiny over its expansion plans.
The local council highlighted concerns about the sheds’ environmental impact, especially regarding waste management and landscape changes. Phosphates in the waste, which would have been transported to a site near Lydney, were a significant concern. The council’s in-house ecologist found the environmental statement lacking, saying it didn’t sufficiently address these issues.
Devauden’s Conservative councillor Rachel Buckler supported the refusal, noting the importance of the Woodland Trust’s intervention. Meanwhile, Tony Easson, an Independent Socialist member, and others wondered about the next steps for applicant Gareth Adams. It’s now up to Adams to decide whether to appeal or present a new, more comprehensive application.
While the plans aimed to improve welfare standards with lower bird density, the environmental worries proved too significant. Despite some initial regulatory approval last year, the focus will now be on ensuring significant impacts like phosphates are thoroughly considered.
Looks like it’s back to the drawing board for Coombe Farm! What are your thoughts on this outcome? 🤔🔄 Let us know below! 👇