Environmental group challenges Shropshire Council over building major poultry units

A legal challenge has been brought against Shropshire Council’s decision to approve the building of a collection of large poultry units.

The council approved the plans in May this year.

They include four poultry rearing buildings, each over 100 metres long, and a biomass store with boilers at North Farm, Felton Butler, and Montford Bridge in Shropshire.

The unit would house 230,000 birds, just 400 metres from an existing poultry site which is believed to house nearly half a million birds.

Environmental campaign group River Action made the challenge over fears of pollution to the River Severn, with the River Wye already having issues with agricultural pollution.

They say the Wye catchment area has been devastated by the failure to enforce anti-pollution regulations, and says it is determined to help prevent similar ecological damage to the neighbouring catchment of the River Severn.

Ricardo Gama from Leigh Day solicitors said: "What your viewers will probably know about is the rapid decline of the River Wye in recent years.

"And the primary reason for that, we know is agricultural pollution".

Shropshire Council says the planning decision was made 'having taken full account of the likely environmental impacts'.

The company behind the plans, LJ Cooke & Son, said they had no comment and that the issue is between River Action and Shropshire Council.