Protesters lose bid to halt poultry proposal.

World’s largest poultry breeder gets go ahead despite opposition

A controversial bid to open a pedigree chicken breeding farm on the edge of Perth has been approved – despite outcry from neighbours and a stark health warning from Scotland’s former chief medical officer.

The £6 million project at woodland in Tullybelton was tabled by German firm Lohmann Tierzurcht, the world’s biggest poultry breeders.

The company said the development, near Bankfoot, could bring “substantial” benefits to the area and stressed that new technology would limit odour problems.

But the scheme faces a fierce backlash from people living close the site. Yesterday objectors pleaded with members of Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee to throw out or delay the scheme.

Among the opponents was Sir David Carter, who was the Queen’s surgeon in Scotland and regularly advised the Government on public health issues.

SNP MSP John Swinney also called for the scheme to be deferred, after concerns from objectors that they had not been properly consulted.

However, councillors voted 7-5 in favour of the scheme. Convener Tom Gray dismissed the row as a “non-event” and said he had heard no complaints about a similar operation which was set up near his home.

Objector Ian Massie, who owns the Tullybelton Estate, said he only heard about the plans “by accident” four weeks ago.

“We face a future of continuous noise, light and emissions,” he said.

“At the moment, this site is a haven for wildlife and protected species.”

Mr Massie said there was not enough information available to support the bid.

“If a decision is made without the correct information and data, then we are undermining confidence in the planning process for all those who will be affected,” he said.

Sir David Carter, who was Scotland’s chief medical officer for four years, told the committee he had been principal adviser to the Government on public health issues.

The 76-year-old said: “My main concern about this development is the danger to people living as close as 400 metres

“I have specific concerns about the threat of developing what is known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis – this is a group of inflammatory lung conditions, caused by exposure to antigen containing dust.

“This is not a trivial condition,” he said, explaining it could lead to various conditions including chronic bronchitis and “potentially fatal respiratory disability”.

Solicitor Andrew Wood, who spoke on behalf of the developers, said: “There are a number of farms in this area and they are known for not causing issues. Many of these are within residential communities.”

Councillor John Kellas’s motion to defer making a decision – he felt there was “insufficient information” available – was defeated at the vote.

It is perhaps understandable that objectors felt cheated when they left yesterday’s development management meeting.

Many said they had only found out about Lohmann Tierzurcht’s chicken farm “by chance” four weeks ago.

If neighbours had not alerted the Massie family, the first they could have known about this development was when workmen moved on to the site.

In a highly unusual move, local MSP John Swinney wrote to planners, urging them to defer the application for more consultation with residents.

He said the process had been carried out to the letter of the law, but not necessarily in the spirit of it.

And locals were able to persuade the Queen’s former surgeon, Sir David Carter, out of retirement to make a new public health warning.

The farm – which had already won full support from planners – may have been approved, but objectors’ fears about smell and impact have still to be allayed

MSP John Swinney made the unusual step of writing to the committee about the plan. There is concern that smell will emanate from the plant when it is built, like at the 2 Sisters factory in Coupar Angus, left.