The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Plans for a chicken farm in Donington are back before South Holland District Council next week.
The application for six poultry houses and infrastructure at Gibbet Fen was approved earlier this month.
But a report is due to go back to the council’s planning committee next week as the result of ‘additional information forthcoming.’
Each of the proposed chicken sheds will have a capacity of 55,000 birds and there had been objections lodged over the fear of potential odours.
“Further to the debate and resolution at the planning committee in September, officers reflected and sought further clarification of the ventilation arrangements.
“This is to ensure that memebrs were not inadvertently misled previously and are in full receipt of all the facts in this matter,” says the latest report.
It adds that the proposal does not ‘include air scrubbers’.
The equipment is designed to remove ammonia from expelled air to protect ecological sites.
“Air scrubbers are only required if the site is close to sensitive ecological sites,” the most recent report says.
The poultry houses would be ventilated by uncapped, high-speed ridge fans, each with a short chimney, with gable end fans to provide additional ventilation in hot weather.
“Gibbet Fen is more than 9.2km from the closest ammonia sensitive site of special scientific interest (Surfleet Lows),” committee members will be told.
Donington Parish Council objected to the proposal along with 11 objections from members of the public.
These ranged from animal welfare concerns, impact on the local landscape and potential traffic on the A52.
The application also needs an Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency in order to operate.
The most recent report says that permission should be granted subject to conditions, including work starting within three years and within existing legislation outlined.
