BRYN THOMAS, PEN Y BONT, LD1 5SW

History: P/2018/0607
Section 73: vary time restriction condition of P/2008/0095
Refused 23 July 2019

History: 19/1308/REM
Section 73: vary time restriction condition of P/2008/0095
Approved 05 Jun 2020

History: 19/1309/REM
Section 73: vary time restriction condition of P/2012/0937
Approved 05 Jun 2020

“The existing poultry unit currently extends to 2 No. egg laying units which accommodate up to 32,000 laying hens…It is proposed to change the use of the existing egg laying units to broiler chicken production, and to erect 2 No additional poultry houses on the site. This application relates to the erection of the 2 No. additional poultry houses which are proposed to …have a capacity of 52,000 birds per building, with the total capacity of the expanded poultry unit being 181,000 birds.”

DAS – Ian Pick Sept 2021

NOTE: Previous Planning P/2008/0095 & P/2012/0937 granted for total 21,000 layers on site – the current capacity is stated as housing ‘up to’ 32,000, but the actual number of birds on site is never stated.

In readiness to change the usage of the site from layers to broilers conditions stipulating delivery times on the original grant of planning had to be amended, hence applications P/2018/0602 and P/2018/0607. On these applications the PCC Ecologist stated in regards to ammonia depositions;

“The detailed modelling predicts that the process contribution of the proposed poultry unit would exceed the upper threshold for the Critical Level of the River Ithon SSSI/River Wye SAC over approximately 4.0km stretch, and the critical load over approximately 3.1km stretch of the River Ithon SSSI. Exceedances of the lower threshold percentage of the critical levels are predicted to impact upon approximately 4.8ha of Cae Cwm Rhocas SSSI, 21.2km stretch of the River Wye SAC. Exceedances of the lower percentage of the critical loads are predicted to impact upon approximately 5.0ha Cae Cwm Rhocas SSSI, 2.8ha of Cae Lwyn SSSI”.

She goes on to note that whilst bad, “these predicted exceedances would represent an improvement when compared to the existing process contributions to ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition…. (although) 4 receptors along the River Wye SAC were shown to potentially increase in impact to the River Wye SAC.”

These applications were subsequently refused, but not on the basis of the potential pollution, but because of the lack of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The EIA was then produced using exactly the same data and results, reapplied for as 19/1308/REM and 19/1309/REM and was subsequently approved at planning.

In addition to this proposal being so close to the River Wye SAC, it  is also sited just 1km away from the Neuadd Isaf Poultry farm currently housing 152,000 Broilers with another 106,000 in the pre-submission pipe-line (Roger Parry & Ptnrs).  Despite the recent amendments to the Local Development Plan (DM2) requiring applications for IPUs to account for ‘cumulative and in-combination impacts’, according to Ian Pick Associates;

“Cumulative ammonia impacts of this proposal are not required to be considered as the proposals represent an improvement / betterment scenario, when compared with the existing operational poultry farm. “

DAS P16 – September 2021
 

No mention of the next door unit has been made to date, and the ‘in-combination’ impacts of the resulting potential 439,000 broilers less than 200m from the Ithon Wye tributary has not been calculated in either application.

 
NB: both applications exceed critical levels in their own right

CASE OFFICER: Louise Evans