Welsh Government contemplate calling in plans for chicken farm near Builth Wells

Plans for a 100,000 broiler chicken farm near Builth Wells have been paused as the Welsh Government mull over calling the application in to be decided by a minister.

Last week, Powys County Council received a letter from the Welsh Government’s Planning Directorate who said they had been asked to “call in” and decide the application themselves.

The application had been lodged with the council as far back as May 2020 by Lyndon Jones of Cwmafan, Llanafan Fawr.

Mr Jones wants to build two agricultural steel portal framed buildings to rear 50,000 broiler chickens in each one, as well as installing feed bins, creating a new vehicular access together with all other associated works.

Head of the Welsh Government’s planning decisions, Lewis Thomas said: “Welsh Ministers have been asked to call in the application.

“I direct your council not to grant planning permission to enable further consideration to be given whether or not the application should be referred to the Welsh Ministers for their determination.”

“The direction prevents your council only from granting planning permission; it does not prevent it from continuing to process or consult on the application neither does it prevent it from refusing planning permission.”

Enterprise

Agent, Gail Jenkins of Roger Parry and Partners explained the application in a design and access statement.

Mrs Jenkins said: “Cwmafan is a 293 acres mixed enterprise farm with cows and a large commercial flock of sheep.

“Lyndon Jones runs the family farm along with his parents and has two sons aged 18 and 16 who are actively involved on the farm and have a keen interest in agriculture.

“The enterprise has been fully investigated by the family and they are more than confident that the broiler unit can be a success and supplement the current farm profits.”

The proposal is for two poultry houses measuring just under 102 metres by 24.4 metres built, which would create a total floor area of 2,486 square metres in each building.

Documents supporting the application also show that Hereford based Gamber Logistics have said that they are willing to take all the poultry litter produced at Cwmafan, to be processed at one of their anaerobic digester’s.

Poultry litter is a mixture of chicken poo, spilled feed, feathers and material used for bedding.

Llanafan Fawr community council has backed the proposal.