The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Plea over chicken farm bid as NHS fails to comment
Campaigners have demanded that a con t rove r s ia l application for a 26,000-bird poultry farm in Murthly be postponed after NHS Tayside said it could not review the plan due to the pandemic.
Around 200 objections have been lodged against the proposal by Aviagen with many citing public health concerns.
Residents are worried about the proximity of the farm to the primary school and the effect of airborne pathogens on children.
Some have pointed to studies carried out by Dutch universities which show that living within 1.15 kilometres of an industrial poultry unit raises the risk of contracting pneumonia by 11%.
Despite the fears, NHS Tayside’s public health team say they will be unable to study the application after being consulted by Perth and Kinross Council.
Karen Satterley, senior specialist nurse, apologised to the local authority, saying: “Unfortunately we will not be able to review this application or submit comments due to the current demands on our service from Covid.”
Campaigners want the application put on hold until after the pandemic when NHS Tayside will be able to respond.
John Evans, chairman of Keep Murthly Beautiful and leader of campaign group Dru ids Park Community Company, said: “Given that one of the biggest concerns amongst residents is the public health issue, and the response of the NHS, it must surely be of the utmost importance that proceedings be put on hold until the resolution of the Covid crisis offers the NHS the opportunity to respond formally.
“How can a case that has already generated huge concern about a potential link between Covid and chickens, and that places a school less than half of the distance that published medical research suggests greatly increases the risk of pneumonia, be permitted to move through the process without NHS comment?”
The council said the lack of response from NHS Tayside would have no effect on the application going before councillors.
A spokesperson said: “It is anticipated the application will be presented to a future meeting of the planning and development management committee, where it will be for members to consider all relevant factors and determine the way forward.”
Aviagen moved to allay residents’ concerns, saying: “We have been safely and successfully operating farms in Perthshire and wider Scotland for over 60 years and can reassure those who have raised concerns that this will be a state- of- the- art, energy efficient farm designed for the purpose of rearing breeding birds, maximising their welfare and health and at the same time minimising the impact on the environment.”