Poultry farm bid ‘wrong’
A poultry breeding company’s proposal for a new facility in Perthshire is going in“completely the wrong place”, according to one local councillor.
Scottish Conservative councillor Ian James criticised Aviagen’s plans to rear thousands of birds on land south west of Murthly at the end of a four-hourlong meeting of the local authority’s planning and development management committee last Wednesday.
The Strathtay representative told the 13-member committee he had“never had much correspondence”with people from Murthly during his three years as a councillor but said Aviagen’s proposal had“really hit the mark”with some locals.
The company wants to build four sheds capable of housing a total of 26,000 birds as well as storage facilities and a new home for whoever might end up managing the farm within a wooded area west of Murthly Primary School.
It’s understood Aviagen will bring birds to the farm when they are five weeks old and keep them there until they are 20 weeks old then take them somewhere else to lay eggs.
Cllr James said on Wednesday: “Several things come to mind … 26,000 birds in total, four sheds covering 9600 square metres, so the actual size of it … the location next to the school … completely the wrong location and completely the wrong place.”
And taking aim at Aviagen’s proposal to build a home for the manager Councillor James asked frustratedly: “Why not put a facility where there is already housing where the manager can live?”
But party colleague Councillor David Illingworth was far more receptive to the proposal. He told the committee: “We have had … an egg production facility built [in Abernethy] just a few years ago and we’ve had no issues with it whatsoever.”
A spokesperson for Aviagen told the PA yesterday:“This development is a small farm when compared with typical broiler poultry production facilities.
“The buildings will be state-of-theart, energy efficient poultry houses designed specifically for the purpose of rearing breeding birds, maximising their welfare and health and at the same time minimising the impact on the environment.
“The new farm will employ 11 full-time staff and a resident, full-time farm manager.
“In addition to these jobs, work will be created in the local supply chain by using a local construction firm and associated suppliers within the agricultural sector.
“It is worth noting that Aviagen has been successfully operating farms in Perthshire and wider Scotland for over 60 years. One of Aviagen’s key aims for this farm, as for all facilities in Scotland, is to provide local employment and be a good neighbour in the area.
“Aviagen is currently consulting with the local community on this proposal and welcomes all feedback received – no doubt this will be addressed and shared with the planning authority and be considered in any subsequent planning application.”