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| Thanks to William Morris Gallery |
Sunday, 13 April 2014
Additional Units Proposed for Chicken Farm at Upton Snodsbury
Residents of the Wychavon Parishes including Upton Snodsbury, Naunton Beauchamp, Cowsden, North Piddle, Flyford Flavell, Grafton Flyford and Libbery will probably relate to this comment from William Morris. It is a shame that the Planning Inspector who approved the original chicken farm application for two sheds doesn't see our beautiful corner of rural Worcestershire in the same light.
Friday, 4 April 2014
Upton Snodbury Chicken Broiler Units on Farming Today!
Sybil Ruscoe contacted WPAG (Wychavon Parishes Action Group) this week to ask if we would like to talk to Farming Today about the planning application by Mr Edward Davies for Chicken Broiler Units.
We learnt that Mr Davies has recently submitted a Full Planning Application for four broiler units which will produce more than one million broiler chickens per year at the site. It is yet to go live on the Wychavon website but we await with interest the application that Mr Davies said at a public meeting that he would not submit!
We told Wychavon Council (and the Planning Inspector) that the application for just two broiler units would not be economic. Guess what? It wasn't and now he has achieved his aim of getting Outline Planning Permission for two sheds and effectively a foot in the door for more. However, it was clear that the planning inspector felt that the impact on the landscape although not significant (in his opinion which was different from the Council's who felt it was) with two units would be if there were more....Time will tell if this argument is won by the local population or Mr Davies.
Some of the WPAG committee and Froghall Farm resident Pat Stanley who is one of the closest "sensitive receptors" as the planning application calls her was also interviewed. As a farmer Pat gave an interesting perspective on the application which will effectively take a perfectly good arable field growing winter wheat out of food production and turn it into chicken sheds on a concrete base in an area that floods regularly.
Farming Today 4th April 2014 -
"Farming Today hears about a planning row over an application to build four poultry broiler units in Worcestershire. Residents near Upton Snodsbury are campaigning against a new development planned by Powys farmer Edward Davies. The poultry units would process over one million birds a year. Sybil Ruscoe meets with the farmer and local protesters."
Click this link to go to the BBC website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03zdkjs
We learnt that Mr Davies has recently submitted a Full Planning Application for four broiler units which will produce more than one million broiler chickens per year at the site. It is yet to go live on the Wychavon website but we await with interest the application that Mr Davies said at a public meeting that he would not submit!
We told Wychavon Council (and the Planning Inspector) that the application for just two broiler units would not be economic. Guess what? It wasn't and now he has achieved his aim of getting Outline Planning Permission for two sheds and effectively a foot in the door for more. However, it was clear that the planning inspector felt that the impact on the landscape although not significant (in his opinion which was different from the Council's who felt it was) with two units would be if there were more....Time will tell if this argument is won by the local population or Mr Davies.
Some of the WPAG committee and Froghall Farm resident Pat Stanley who is one of the closest "sensitive receptors" as the planning application calls her was also interviewed. As a farmer Pat gave an interesting perspective on the application which will effectively take a perfectly good arable field growing winter wheat out of food production and turn it into chicken sheds on a concrete base in an area that floods regularly.
Farming Today 4th April 2014 -
"Farming Today hears about a planning row over an application to build four poultry broiler units in Worcestershire. Residents near Upton Snodsbury are campaigning against a new development planned by Powys farmer Edward Davies. The poultry units would process over one million birds a year. Sybil Ruscoe meets with the farmer and local protesters."
Click this link to go to the BBC website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03zdkjs
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| Sybil Ruscoe interviewing Alastair Findlay for Farming Today |
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| Sybil Ruscoe interviewing Pat Stanley of Froghall Farm for Farming Today |
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| Sybil Ruscoe interviewing Liz Holpin, Alastair Findlay and Pat Stanley |
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| Sybil Ruscoe from Farming Today at Upton Snodsbury |
Saturday, 8 February 2014
Upton Snodsbury Proposed Chicken Farm on Central ITV News
Central ITV News filmed at the site of Upton Snodsbury Chicken Farm today - Alastair Findlay did a great job being interviewed. As Alastair said, to misquote David Cameron (who yesterday was talking about how English people have no vote but they do have a voice), we have a vote and no voice.
There is a definite feeling among the local population that a bad decision has been made. An unjust decision. This is understandable as the applicant and agent have experience of playing a system that has the odds stacked in their favour. The system is not democratic and it is not fair.
Our landscape will change, it will smell when the manure is spread and when the sheds are emptied, it will be noisier than it is now and the peace and tranquility that exists in this area will never be the same.
Here is some of the flooding from today - another 2.5 metres and we would be up to the 2007 levels..
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| Alastair Findlay being interviewed on Central ITV News 8th February 2014 |
Our landscape will change, it will smell when the manure is spread and when the sheds are emptied, it will be noisier than it is now and the peace and tranquility that exists in this area will never be the same.
Here is some of the flooding from today - another 2.5 metres and we would be up to the 2007 levels..
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| From the bridge at Naunton Beauchamp |
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| Looking downstream from the bridge at Naunton Beauchamp |
Friday, 7 February 2014
Upton Snodsbury Chicken Farm is Given the Go Ahead! A sad day...
Despite a huge amount of effort by local residents the Appeal Inspector has decided to allow the Planning Application for two chicken broiler units housing 80,000 birds to go ahead. Detailed plans will now be submitted. There are some conditions which we sincerely hope protect this beautiful part of Worcestershire countryside.
There was no talk of Localism - how is it possible for Wychavon Council to reject the application by 14-0, for over 70% of local residents to oppose it, only two letters of support - on from the Poultry Association and one from Two Sisters group who Mr Edward Davies of Presteigne, Wales supplies. What value is a Localism Act if this kind of decision is made by an un-elected person on their own (surprisingly quickly after his visit to the site). Not exactly a democratic process.
So, residents of this quiet area where sounds carry in the flood plain which has little in the way of big trees or hedges are going to be disturbed by the catching gangs who arrive during the night when the birds are sleeping. Additional HGV movements are moving the manure from 80,000 chickens seven times a year to...where? Covered trailers, lovely in the heat of the summer and don't even consider spreading it on the land in the winter - you just have to look at the pictures to know that for many months of the year it's going to sit in a great pile of manure stinking and rotting, a haven for rats.
It was pretty predictable but we weren't cynical in the beginning and we followed the process. How disappointing that it has ended like this. The next time the gloves will be well and truly off.
Flooding has not been bad so far this year - pretty typical in fact. 2007 was at least double the depth that we've had so far at the main measurement points. Even so, the Piddle Brook has been close to the top of its banks since before Christmas.
So even if the Applicant has his way mother nature may have a way of ensuring that the operation does not succeed long-term. We can only hope that justice will have its way of being done in the end.
There was no talk of Localism - how is it possible for Wychavon Council to reject the application by 14-0, for over 70% of local residents to oppose it, only two letters of support - on from the Poultry Association and one from Two Sisters group who Mr Edward Davies of Presteigne, Wales supplies. What value is a Localism Act if this kind of decision is made by an un-elected person on their own (surprisingly quickly after his visit to the site). Not exactly a democratic process.
So, residents of this quiet area where sounds carry in the flood plain which has little in the way of big trees or hedges are going to be disturbed by the catching gangs who arrive during the night when the birds are sleeping. Additional HGV movements are moving the manure from 80,000 chickens seven times a year to...where? Covered trailers, lovely in the heat of the summer and don't even consider spreading it on the land in the winter - you just have to look at the pictures to know that for many months of the year it's going to sit in a great pile of manure stinking and rotting, a haven for rats.
It was pretty predictable but we weren't cynical in the beginning and we followed the process. How disappointing that it has ended like this. The next time the gloves will be well and truly off.
Flooding has not been bad so far this year - pretty typical in fact. 2007 was at least double the depth that we've had so far at the main measurement points. Even so, the Piddle Brook has been close to the top of its banks since before Christmas.
So even if the Applicant has his way mother nature may have a way of ensuring that the operation does not succeed long-term. We can only hope that justice will have its way of being done in the end.
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| 16th January 2014 |
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| 25th January 2014 |
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| 26th January 2014 |
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| 2nd February 2014 |
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| 2nd February 2014 |
Sunday, 29 December 2013
The Calm Before The Storm - Beautiful Post Christmas Weather for Walking
Blue skies, a bit of frost and lots of birds describes the long walk between Naunton Beauchamp and North Piddle today.
Most of these photos were taken about half-way between the two villages by a tree that had beautiful low sunlight and the kind of light that you only see around the Winter Solstice. Warm and soft it makes the birds glow (but only if they happen to not be in shadow which they have a habit of doing of course especially if you have a camera in your hand).
It's about 750m away from the proposed site of the Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury. If the proposed application is successful (it's currently with the Planning Inspectorate at Appeal) it can only be imagined what impact the smell of manure and the change to the water clarity of Piddle Brook will have on the otters, birdlife and plantlife that at the moment sustains a wonderful ecosystem. All that could be lost....in the meantime, I keep taking photos and making the most of what we have right now.
For more information on the proposed chicken broiler units at Upton Snodbury visit www.no-chicken-farm.org
Most of these photos were taken about half-way between the two villages by a tree that had beautiful low sunlight and the kind of light that you only see around the Winter Solstice. Warm and soft it makes the birds glow (but only if they happen to not be in shadow which they have a habit of doing of course especially if you have a camera in your hand).
It's about 750m away from the proposed site of the Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury. If the proposed application is successful (it's currently with the Planning Inspectorate at Appeal) it can only be imagined what impact the smell of manure and the change to the water clarity of Piddle Brook will have on the otters, birdlife and plantlife that at the moment sustains a wonderful ecosystem. All that could be lost....in the meantime, I keep taking photos and making the most of what we have right now.
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| There's a few birds in there but well-hidden! |
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| A flock of...? Possibly Chaffinch |
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| Buzzard sitting in a hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury) |
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| Close-up of Buzzard sitting in a hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury) |
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| Buzzard takes off from hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury) |
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| Warbler or ? |
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| Warbler or ? |
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| Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Perfect day for a flight. |
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| Chaffinch coming into land |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Not sure what this is |
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| Blue tit |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Treecreeper |
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| No Christmas would be complete without one of these |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Treecreeper in the tree - they are very small |
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| Checking what this is too... |
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| Naunton Beauchamp Church - St Bartholomew's |
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| Sparrow |
For more information on the proposed chicken broiler units at Upton Snodbury visit www.no-chicken-farm.org
Saturday, 28 December 2013
Flooding from Piddle Brook downstream of Upton Snodsbury Chicken Farm
One of the major reasons for Wychavon District Council to refuse planning permission for Chicken Broiler Units by Edward Davies of Presteigne at Upton Snodsbury in October 2013 was because of the dangers of flooding and the pollution of Piddle Brook.
Residents of the areasurrounding Upton Snodsbury, North Piddle, Naunton Beauchamp, Cowsden, Flyford Flavell and Grafton Flyford who are more familiar with the problems than Mr Edward Davies of Presteigne Wales who has made the application, have written in to the Planning Inspector with whom the decision rests as to whether to Dismiss the Appeal or not. We expect the decision to be made by March or April 2014. Let us hope that the Inspector upholds the original decision so that the residents of the area can move on from the worry of having inappropriate and life-changing planning applications made by those who have little care for the impact it will have on the environment.
These photos were taken in the past week (Christmas 2013). The flooding is typical of what occurs on a regular basis after heavy rain. The Environment Agency shows it as up to 1 in 75 year flooding on the maps. Our experience is that flooding at this level occurred at least 4 times in 2013. It has been much much worse than this but when that happens it is almost impossible to get photos as Naunton Beauchamp is cut off and other than by tractor it is not possible to leave the village!
If the Chicken Broiler Units are built it is likely that the detritus of the chicken farm will pollute Piddle Brook as the units are only 160m from Piddle Brook right on the edge of the Flood Zone.
Residents of the areasurrounding Upton Snodsbury, North Piddle, Naunton Beauchamp, Cowsden, Flyford Flavell and Grafton Flyford who are more familiar with the problems than Mr Edward Davies of Presteigne Wales who has made the application, have written in to the Planning Inspector with whom the decision rests as to whether to Dismiss the Appeal or not. We expect the decision to be made by March or April 2014. Let us hope that the Inspector upholds the original decision so that the residents of the area can move on from the worry of having inappropriate and life-changing planning applications made by those who have little care for the impact it will have on the environment.
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| Naunton Beauchamp bridge over Piddle Brook |
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| Piddle Brook overwhelmed by the flood water running under Naunton Beauchamp bridge |
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| Piddle Brook Meadows Nature Reserve |
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| Meadows behind Naunton Court |
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| Entrance into Piddle Brook Meadows Nature Reserve |
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| Piddle Brook Nature Reserve |
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| Road into Naunton Beachamp from B4082 |
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| Public Footpath into field behind Naunton Court |
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| Underneath Naunton Beauchamp bridge |
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| Church View Farm field |
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| Piddle Brook overwhelmed by floodwater looking towards chicken farm site |
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| Footpath alongside Piddle Brook |
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| View towards Naunton Beauchamp Church from footpath |
These photos were taken in the past week (Christmas 2013). The flooding is typical of what occurs on a regular basis after heavy rain. The Environment Agency shows it as up to 1 in 75 year flooding on the maps. Our experience is that flooding at this level occurred at least 4 times in 2013. It has been much much worse than this but when that happens it is almost impossible to get photos as Naunton Beauchamp is cut off and other than by tractor it is not possible to leave the village!
If the Chicken Broiler Units are built it is likely that the detritus of the chicken farm will pollute Piddle Brook as the units are only 160m from Piddle Brook right on the edge of the Flood Zone.
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