A Forfar farmer has received approval for 2 massive free-range hen sheds which can triple his egg-laying operation to almost 100,000 birds.
But Angus planning councillors had been divided on the appliance which generated greater than 200 letters of objection.
On Tuesday, the realm’s growth requirements committee spent two-and-a-half hours debating the Craignathro Farms proposal.
It is to be positioned on land at Easter Meathie, round a mile south of the city.
Angus planning officers really useful the scheme for conditional approval.
There had been no objections from regulatory our bodies together with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Farmer Matthew Steel mentioned it was a “natural extension” of the household farming operation.
But it introduced a deluge of opposition, a lot of it across the scale of the mission and its position on a flood plain.
Former farm supervisor’s issues
Those included an objection from neighbouring Lour Farms.
Mike Cumming, who retired on the finish of final yr as its supervisor for greater than 30 years mentioned the mission was within the fallacious place.
He informed the committee: “I do know this space intimately.
“I do know the applicant and in lots of respect admire his agricultural ambition, however there’s way more at stake than that.
“No quantity of mitigation could make this an appropriate web site for what’s proposed. It’s a reclaimed lavatory.
“I’d be the first to say agricultural development should be supported but not at the expense of common sense.”
And he mentioned the massive quantity of official documentation couldn’t masks his issues in regards to the location.
“I have a friend who has a saying for this type of application and it is that bull***t baffles brains,” mentioned Mr Cumming.
“It’s folly to build an intensive livestock building on such a web site.
Another speaker, Annie Whitehead mentioned: “This business is a quick buck.
“It’s a pyramid of advantage-taking with the environment at the bottom of the heap.”
Douglas Watt additionally addressed the committee because the objector residing closest to the location.
He mentioned the sheds could be 350 metres away from the entrance of his home.
Farmer’s religion in main funding
Farmer Mr Steel rejected the flood fears.
“We would not spend the level of investment there is going to be if I thought there was any danger of that shed flooding,” he mentioned.
“To say it’s below water for many of the yr is grossly inaccurate.
“I would say in a normal year it is four or five days of the year.”
He added: “It is a big funding for us, make no bones about that.
“Eggs are wanted, there’s a scarcity and it isn’t going away, we’re importing eggs (on this nation).
“It will produce a lot of muck, but that muck is fantastic for the soil. We will be using most of that within our own farming business.”
“I’m not an absentee proprietor.
“I stay downwind of this and I would not build this if I thought it would adversely affect me or my neighbours.”
Committee break up
Committee convener David Cheape supported approval.
He acknowledged the amount of opposition, however mentioned many had been duplicate letters.
“I had initial apprehension for this application, but my concerns have been mitigated.”
Brechin councillor Chris Beattie moved refusal, saying it didn’t meet quite a lot of planning insurance policies.
He was seconded by Forfar councillor Linda Clark.
“The right development in the right place is supreme and I do not see that here,” she mentioned.
The committee voted 7-3 to approve the appliance.
