1 week Ago By [email protected] (Victoria Fear)
A multi-million pound poultry unit could be built on the outskirts of a village if planners give the green light. Holbeach Poultry Ltd wants to build 12 chicken houses along with infrastructure on land off Peartree Hill Road in Whaplode Drove . If approved by South Holland District Council, the unit would house 552,120 birds with an annual output of 3,865,000 chickens.
It is proposed to have seven crops a year. This application, which covers infrastructure such as hard standing and a sub station, will be followed by a separate application for an agricultural workers dwelling. Documents listed with the application state that there is an increasing demand for quality UK bred and reared chickens following Brexit along with concerns about food security and tariffs.
It adds: “Unlike many other forms of agricultural production, poultry production has and is continuing to grow on the back of rising demand for poultry meat. “Whilst a considerable financial investment at more than £10million, there is an opportunity for the business to take advantage of this increased demand, and to enhance its presence in the marketplace. “The business will look to employ four full time workers and two part time workers as a result of the development with staff being sourced locally.
In addition, the business will look to various third party business to supply the facility e.g. wash down contractors, vets, feed company, pest control etc.
” Documents listed with application state that the 9.2 hectare site is located within the open countryside with no apparent homes within 400metres of the proposed development. The application is looking to build 12 poultry houses which will each measure 80ft by 360ft.
The buildings’ total foot print will be 345,600sqft and it is hoped that they will provide 50 years of ‘production space’. These buildings will be constructed out of concrete walls and an insulated roof with extractor fans. The building phase is expected to take 24 weeks.
Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal Holbeach Poultry’s bid also includes a new field access, vehicle parking, gas tanks and a dead bird building. It will also need 18 feed bins which will convey food to the birds via a trough and chain system. The business will need a permit from the Environment Agency to operate and this is currently being considered.
Documents listed with the application states: “The permit submission is based 12 houses and a standard cropping contract based on 690,000 bird places. “However, with supermarkets now seeking a higher welfare product, this requires a reduction in stocking rate which is approximately 20% less than the standard contract. “In this case, modelling is now based on higher welfare birds and a total of 552,120 birds places.
The growing cycle is otherwise broadly the same, with a 39 day growing cycle, with 7-10 days at the end of each cycle for cleanout and preparation of the buildings for the incoming flock. “On average, there will be seven crops per annum.” Used litter from the chicken houses will be used as organic fertiliser, transported using sheeted trailers, to a third party.
The application also states that the risk of odour, vermin and dust will be low from the site. It is also due to produce a total of 206 lorry and tractor trailer trips per crop. This could lead to a total of 1,442 trips for the seven crops.
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