Villagers’ smell fears over planned chicken farm near Leicester

By Luke Hawker

A scheme for a big new chicken farm and anaerobic digestion facilities just outside Leicester, has been opposed by local councils worried about its ‘methane rich smell’.

The application for the new site on Hungarton Lane, Beeby, has been objected to by 66 people and three parish councils.

It will be decided by Leicestershire County Council Development Control and Regulatory Board on Thursday (March 10).

Applicant AH Pick and Son, of Manor Farm, Beeby, says the development would be of huge benefit to local farms, as 12,000 tonnes a year of feedstock will go into the anaerobic digester with the output of 10,000 tonnes used as fertiliser.

But the proposed site on agricultural land has raised many issues including smell, noise and traffic.

Jean Parr, clerk of Scraptoft Parish Council, who strongly opposes the proposal, said: “This proposal is so close to our parish and will affect many of our local residents.

“Our councilors have voted against this because there will be many HGV lorries driving up and down and our roads are unsuitable.”

Penny Faulkner, chairman of Hungarton Parish Council, said: “The anaerobic digester and chicken unit will both have a deleterious effect on local air quality due to the toxic emissions, foul odours, dust and flies both processes produce.

“This area is also used by many for recreation and leisure and this raises a number of safety concerns.

“Please preserve this delightful, unspoilt rural location and prevent the degradation of unique and valuable countryside.”

But an air quality study said some of the activities, such as litter management would not produce a notable risk of offensive odours.

Beeby Parish Council has no objections to the plan but has concerns over traffic.

Planning officer, Mr P Later, said: “There are no substantive reasons to resist the development on grounds of air quality, ecology, highways, historic environment, landscape, noise and water.

“The environmental information submitted with the application has been taken into account in reaching this conclusion. “

Councillors will decide the scheme on Thursday (March 10) at County Hall in Glenfield.