Residents cry fowl over 32,000-bird chicken farm plan

Ardler: Villagers fear the free range poultry will attract plague of vermin

A village community has cried “fowl” over details of a chicken farm plan which has raised fears of a plague of vermin.

Ardler residents will soon share their village with up to 32,000 free range birds as a result of a massive expansion of Grewar farms.

Peter Grewar has grown his business in recent years, with the approval of the community, but his latest “secret” plan has caused outrage.

Locals have complained their lives will be blighted by a foul stench, heavy goods vehicles and “rats, crows and foxes” if councillors back the free range chicken unit.

More than 100 letters of objection have been submitted to Perth and Kinross Council while social media and newsletter campaigns have started.

A hastily-arranged meeting was attended by more than 40 villagers who discovered negotiations had been going on for months behind closed doors.

Mr Grewar gained credit with those there by attending and taking the time to detail his plan and answer questions.

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Our projections, given the outside land that will be used, are that this is so big it would swamp the size of the village. RESIDENT ANTHONY TROON

Residents, however, remain hugely aggrieved and a further meeting will take place today in the Ardler Tavern.

The chicken farm will be built on a 1.8 hectare mixed farm and woodland site to the south of the Grewar farm.

The application stresses the proposal “locates the poultry house at a reasonable distance from residential properties”.

Mr Grewar has described the unit as “a small development in terms of bird numbers” and promised a “robust” noise and odour management plan will be put in place.

There could be up to 12 HGV visits per week through egg collections, feed deliveries and manure removals.

In their letter to councillors, residents write of their “anger” that “such a development could be planned so close to the village without local people being consulted before it appeared in the summary of planning applications in the local press”.

Ardler resident Anthony Troon is among those with deep concerns and said: “No matter the claims made this really is an enormous development.

“Our projections, given the outside land that will be used, are that this is so big it would swamp the size of the village.

“Residents have significant environmental and pollution worries, with the odours from the sheds, HGV visits and the possibility of the site attracting vermin among the most serious.” This evening’s meeting begins at 6pm. mmackay@thecourier.co.uk