Neighbouring villagers crying foul over chicken farm plans
NEARBY residents feel they have been forgotten about after only recently learning about plans for a large-scale chicken farming operation.
Plans were submitted on December 5 last year for a former dairy farm near Retford to be replaced with four large poultry farms holding up to 1.7 million chickens each year.
A farm store, cold store and staff building are also proposed for the site, off Thievesdale Lane, in Ranby.
Villagers say they only found out about the plans weeks in late January, when a petition with more than 17,000 signatures was publicised by animal rights organisation PETA.
Bassetlaw District Council is due to consider the plans, which will create two jobs, later this month.
Residents have a number of concerns, including the potential for strong odours, ammonia from chicken waste, and a high number of HGVS visiting the site.
Simon Bailey, 42, said: “We found out about it in January and as soon as we did a notice about it went up at the top of the village. We’ve all put objections in.
“I think the majority of residents are unhappy just because of the smell it will have, as we have read up about it and the environmental impact.
“We’ve not been considered at all. We have had no input whatsoever, we have not been asked about it until it’s too late.”
Mum Amber Wilkinson, 42, said: “We would rather not have it because of the smell and with hav ing children and the school in the village it won’t be nice for them. It’s only very recently when it was put on the group chat that we found out.
“Apparently a notice was put up at the bus stop, where nobody goes, so no one was ever going to see the plans there. It’s frustrating, but the council don’t do a lot here anyway, we just sort of get left.”
A 51-year-old villager, who did not wish to be named, said: “I feel this is a huge backwards step for environmental and health issues. With all the publicity we see every day for these concerns, I find it difficult to believe these places are still being signed off by planning committees anywhere.
“There has been a disturbing lack of transparency around the whole process, and it’s time that awareness was raised as to the impact this will have on every single person in the surrounding area. So far, the only positives sit with the wealthy few hiding behind the plans, and it’s worth bearing in mind that for all of this, only two jobs are being created.”
A 47-year-old villager said: “We’re really concerned about the smell, as the prevailing wind blows from west to east, noting the proposed chicken farm is west of our homes here in the neighbouring village of Ranby.
“We’re also concerned about the potential of pollution to the local river and canal. The river Wye is making headlines about increased pollution due to a similar chicken farm and its proximity to the watercourse.”
He also has concerns over the roads, which are “not suitable or maintained” well enough to cope with an increase in vehicles.
He said: “We had never heard of the plans until we heard it by word of mouth, as there was only one small notice in a bus shelter in the village.
“We understand it will be an almost fully automated system, employing just three to four people once running. This will barely provide any support locally.”
Healthcare worker Sarah Emblen added: “Even though the actual farm is in the Worksop East district, the small villages of Osberton, Scofton and Ranby will be the worst affected.
“We were not informed of this proposal, and we only found out due to word of mouth from a relative of someone who lives in Ranby.
“Even people who live in the area of Worksop near to the proposed farm, and even those who actually live on Osberton Estate, were not informed of these proposals. “On the online portal it says the Neighbour Consultation Expiry date is January 5. We knew nothing of this proposal until mid-february, when it was posted on one obscure lamp-post at the very top end of the village
All of the villagers feel very strongly about this abhorrent way of rearing chickens, as well as the environmental impact of something on this scale.
“The river Ryton runs near to the proposed site, and the pollution which this chicken farm would produce is very worrying to us all.” In response to villagers’ concerns about not being adequately consulted, Beverley Alderton-sambrook, head of planning and place at Bassetlaw District Council said: “As a local planning authority, we must comply with the publicity requirements as set out in The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. “This involves writing to adjacent occupiers and/or posting site notices and placing a public notice in the local newspaper. We must ensure that the application and all the related documents and information is live on the council’s website. “We have undertaken all of these requirements and have received a number of public comments to date and a petition.”
We’ve not been considered at all. We have had no input whatsoever.
Simon Bailey, of Ranby