River Severn slurry store scheme rejected amid drinking water concerns

Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build a slurry store at a field known to flood, which is close to the River Severn, have been rejected by planners.

In April A.M. Jones of Lower Leighton Farm, Leighton, lodged a new application with Powys County Council to construct the slurry store and associated works at land east of Pool Quay – which is several miles from the farm itself.

A similar application was lodged with the council in November 2024 and refused by county planners in May last year.

The site is a field which is wedged between the A483 trunk road and the River Severn which meanders on its eastern edge.

The proposed store was planned to be six metres high and 39 metres wide and to partly get around the previous refusal would have been accessed from an existing agricultural track of the A483.

Documents lodged in support of the application claimed that the store is at a “low vulnerability of flooding” and that the applicant “accepted the risk’ associated with building in a flood zone.

The proposal was discussed by Welshpool Town Council’s Planning and Events committee in May.

Town councillors objected to it, due to the “huge risk” that the slurry could seep into the river causing pollution and that the land is “totally unsuitable” for the scheme.

Impact drinking water

There have also been concerns raised that the development could impact the quality of drinking water.

Senior planning officer Kate Bowen said: “The council’s ecologist advises that the siting of a large-scale slurry store in such close proximity to a main river and within a flood-prone area presents a clear and unacceptable risk of pollution through flood water mobilisation, system failure, or accidental release, with potentially significant adverse impacts on water quality and the receiving environment.

“The application provides no assessment of alternative locations within the holding and fails to demonstrate that the chosen siting minimises environmental risk.”

Mrs Bowen explained that while the extra information that accompanied this application following the refusal of the previous one last year has sought to address some of the issues, it is not enough.

Mrs Bowen said: “The additional information does not address the concerns raised by consultees, particularly in respect of flood risk, pollution of controlled waters, impact upon protected sites and highway safety.

“In addition, insufficient information has still been submitted to address the material planning considerations of the location within the minerals safeguarding area, loss of agricultural land and the impact upon the character and appearance of the area and upon recreational/tourism assets.”

Mrs Bowen continued: “Furthermore, Hafren Dyfrdwy/Severn Trent have identified that water drinking quality may be impacted and insufficient information has been submitted to address this material planning consideration.

“Based on the discussion, the recommendation is one of refusal.”