Opposition to plans for a massive poultry farm in North Yorkshire continues to grow despite the developer submitting new information aimed at easing concerns over the disposal of thousands of tonnes of chicken manure.
Forest Poultry Ltd has submitted an updated environmental statement for its proposed six-building poultry farm at York Gate Farm, near Melmerby, north of Ripon, which would house up to 360,000 chickens at a time and produce approximately 2.7 million birds annually.
The latest documents set out alternative arrangements for disposing of nearly 4,000 tonnes of poultry manure each year amid uncertainty over the future of the biomass power station originally intended to receive the waste.
However, Melmerby and Middleton Quernhow Parish Council has maintained its objection, while a group representing residents from nine villages has submitted a detailed 59-page challenge to the proposals.
Under the original plans, manure would be transported more than 250km to Thetford Biomass Power Station in Norfolk for combustion.
An updated environmental statement confirms that Thetford remains the preferred destination but identifies an alternative should the facility close or become unavailable.
The developer says AWSM Farming Ltd, which is based near Richmond, would collect the manure and arrange for it to be processed at one of five anaerobic digestion facilities across northern England, including sites at Leeming, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and North Cave.
These facilities would turn the waste into biogas, with the remaining material used as agricultural fertiliser.
The applicant says the alternative arrangements would avoid storing or spreading untreated manure locally and would reduce transport distances.
The update concludes that the alternative disposal arrangements would not result in significant adverse environmental effects.
It also proposes a planning condition requiring manure to be removed in sealed vehicles and taken to an approved treatment facility.
However, the 9 Villages Local Group has questioned whether the waste disposal arrangements are sufficiently secure.
In its objection, the group raises concerns about the future of Thetford Power Station and whether alternative facilities would have the necessary capacity to accommodate the waste.
It also questions the environmental consequences of spreading digestate on agricultural land, including potential impacts on water quality and ammonia emissions.
The group has called for further independent scrutiny of the environmental statement before the application is determined.
It also raises concerns about air pollution, odour, noise, traffic, water consumption and the potential effects on nearby residents.
The group argues that the environmental assessment does not adequately consider the combined effects of emissions from the poultry farm and existing pollution from the nearby A1(M) and A6055.
Meanwhile, Melmerby and Middleton Quernhow Parish Council says the additional environmental information has not changed its position.
In its latest representation, the parish council states:
“Although the applicant has submitted an expanded Environmental Statement, the Parish Council does not consider that the provision of additional environmental information, in itself, resolves the substantive planning concerns associated with the proposed development.”
It adds that the overwhelming majority of villagers attending a public parish council meeting opposed the development.
The council has urged North Yorkshire Council to assess whether the revised documents fully address the concerns previously identified.
Forest Poultry Ltd maintains that its contingency arrangements provide a regulated alternative for manure disposal and that the environmental effects would not be significant.
The application will be decided by North Yorkshire Council.
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