£3.5 million plan lodged to allow Shropshire chicken farm to house 120,000 more birds

Four more units are being planned at Roden Poultry Farm by applicant Sandy Walker for the site on Roden Lane, Roden, in Telford, .

If approved it will allow the business to increase the space that each chick gets while also allowing the site to expand the total number of birds to 320,000. 

Planning agent Ian Pick, of Harrison Pick, has told Telford & Wrekin Council planners that the whole of the site is “changing to the new higher welfare lower stocking density production standard.

“The overall project is linked to the whole site permanently moving on to the higher welfare chicken standard which essentially means a reduction in stocking density from the current legal limit of 38kg/m2, down to the new higher welfare standard of 30kg/m2,” Mr Pick says in the application documents. 

Roden Poultry Unit produces chickens for UK supermarkets which are responding to their customers demanding higher standards. This demand has major implications for the industry, the applicants say. 

“Due to pressure from the population, UK supermarkets have made a commitment to adopt higher welfare standards on poultry farms,” says Mr Pick in his report to Telford & Wrekin Council. This essentially means that the birds are given 20 per cent more space to roam within the barns.  

“The major implication of this commitment is that 20 per cent more poultry houses are required in order to continue production are current levels, with no expansion of the industry.  

“It is now of strategic importance for UK food security that more poultry houses are developed to enable the adoption of the higher welfare standard, without creating a major shortage of chicken which will otherwise be filled by imports of chicken from abroad which are produced under lower standards of animal welfare.” 

The Roden site rears broiler chickens from day old chicks to ‘finished table weight’. Buildings include feeders, drinkers, heat exchangers and fan assisted ventilation. 

The implications of the change in welfare standards on the site mean that the existing four sheds will reduce from the current capacity of 200,000 birds, down to 160,000 birds. 

Additional sheds 5,6,7 & 8 will be stocked at 40,000 birds per shed (160,000 birds), which means that the total capacity of the expanded site will be 320,000 birds. Overall, the capacity of the site will increase by 120,000 birds. 

The developers say that Telford & Wrekin Council planners can impose a condition on the whole 5.93 hectare site restricting the total number of birds to 320,000. 

If granted it would mean the total number of trucks going to and from the site would increase by 289 from 517 to 806 per year.  

All HGV traffic associated with the operation of Roden Poultry Farm is routed to and from the A49 near Shrewsbury which is located 5km to the west of the application site along the B5062. 

The applicants say the average increase in traffic associated with the development is less than one vehicle visit (two movements) per day which can ‘easily be accommodated’ on the local highway network. 

'Great benefits for the rural economy'

Even though the operation of expanded site will mean an increase of one employee to three in total, the applicants say it will have great benefits for the rural economy. 

“The proposed development involves an investment in buildings and infrastructure by the applicants of approximately £3.5 million,” say the application documents. 

This includes groundworks and concrete, buildings, and internal equipment fitting. The proposed development will offer a substantial initial cash injection into the rural economy through the construction phase.  

 “The proposed development will also provide a significant contribution to the associated services industries within the poultry sector.  

“These industries include haulage contractors, chick suppliers, poultry feed suppliers, veterinary and medicine, fuel suppliers, bedding suppliers, catching contractors, cleaning contractors, electricians, plumbers, pest control contractors etc.  

“The added value to the local economy through direct and indirect employment for the development is substantial.” 

Chicken manure

Chicken manure will be removed from the site for disposal via biomass power stations. 

Chicks are delivered to the site as day olds on day one of the rearing cycle and reared within the buildings for around 38 days. 

The first batch of birds are removed from the site at around day 30 of the flock and the balance are removed at the end of the flock on day 37 and 38.  

Following the removal of the birds, the site is empty for 10 days for cleaning and preparation of the next batch of chicks.  

The cleaning process involves removal of the manure, followed by power washing of the buildings.  

Once washed, the buildings are dried using the heating system, and bedded with wood shavings in readiness for the next batch of birds. The site operates with 7.6 flocks of birds per annum. 

The construction phase of the proposed development will extend to approximately 30 weeks.  

Drainage engineers at Telford & Wrekin Council have demanded more information on surface water drainage. They have lodged an objection to the plan and asked for updated documents to be published before objections are removed. 

The consultation phase on the planning application expires on January 12, 2025. 

Local residents have been written to and Ercall Magna Parish Council has been informed of the application.

Telford & Wrekin Council will determine the application at a later date.

Members of the public can view the application on the Telford & Wrekin Council planning portal with the reference number TWC/2024/0933