Council needs to produce policy on chicken farm planning applications because they've received so many

The information comes from a response to a question posed by a member of the public to the Liberal Democrat/Labour and Green party minority administration at a council meeting on Thursday, July 20.

The questions have already been submitted and a response has been provided from the relevant councillor on the Powys Cabinet.

Dr David Williams asked: “What can residents do to stop the council giving planning permission for new and extensions to Intensive Poultry Units [IPUs], in the light of the damage they cause to watercourses and the potential for the spread of Avian Flu?”

The question will be answered by Liberal Democrat, Cllr Jake Berriman the cabinet member responsible for Planning.

Cllr Berriman said: “The council is aware of the concerns many residents have, and recognises the environmental impacts associated with Intensive poultry Units (IPU) proposals.

“These impacts are taken into consideration when determining planning applications when the council follows prevailing legislation, regulations, planning policy and guidance that is in place when a decision is taken.

“Comments made by statutory consultees, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW) are also considered, given their expertise and legal standing in terms of environmental permitting.”

Cllr Berriman said that calls for a moratorium on Chicken Farm applications have been made in recent years.

He said: “This, however, is a matter for Welsh Government’s consideration and is not something that Powys County Council could do unilaterally.

“I understand that the Welsh Government is requiring all local planning authorities to include a planning policy on intensive livestock units in a replacement LDP, and this is something that we will look at in relation to any changes to the legal, regulatory, or national policy frameworks.”

Cllr Berriman also explains that the authority has not issued planning permission for a chicken farm during the last year.

This is because the Welsh Government have paused the planning process on 13 of the applications as the Climate Change minister Julie Morgan MS mulls over requests to call the applications in and take over the decision making process.

Dr Williams will be allowed to ask a follow up question at Thursday’s meeting should he wish.