By Gordon Berry

EVIDENCE AT a public inquiry into proposals for a chicken breeding unit just outside Cupar ended yesterday in the way it began a few days before—with a clash of opinions about any likely impact of an outbreak of avian flu.

The inquiry resulted from an appeal against planning consent for an application submitted by local farmer Ron Dalglish in conjunction with international firm Aviagen.

The plans for the site at St Mary’s Road involve the construction of four large breeding sheds, a manager’s house and other associated facilities, and has been the subject of intense local debate.

Yesterday a planning expert appearing for objector T&N Gilmartin Contractors was strongly challenged over a statement made in his written evidence that the entire population of Cupar would fall within the first three-kilometre protection zone in the event of an avian flu outbreak.

The comment from Simon Harrison was accompanied by a claim that the most severe restrictions on movement would apply in this zone, thereby bringing the entire community to its knees.

The solicitor for the applicants, Chris Smylie strongly challenged Mr Harrison on his comment and asked him if it was “helpful” for a professional person and witness to express such a sentiment.

Mr Harrison, though, replied that one could imagine the public outcry if such a land use was allowed so close to Cupar and an avian flu situation did arise. He said that the inquiry, in his opinion, could not fail to consider the possible ramifications.

Mr Harrison said that the breeding unit could potentially come into contact with avian flu and it lay upwind of a major settlement.

That, he said, was a concern in its own right and he raised questions of whether schools would be closed, what police activity there would be and how, for example, passengers at Cupar’s main line railway station would be controlled.

Earlier in the inquiry a representative of Aviagen, Richard Mackie, had stated that there was a greater threat of avian influenza from wild birds than from having the unit located close to Cupar.

He disputed any suggestion that Cupar would grind to a halt and he used Cellardyke, where restrictions were imposed after an infected bird was found, as an example.

There was also evidence about whether the practice of spreading chicken manure from the unit on Mr Dalglish’s land should or should not be considered as a planning issue.

It has been argued by the applicants that the matter is not relevant, but Mr Harrison said that it is part of a package of development proposals and therefore should be considered.

The witness also referred to national planning guidance which advises that spreading large quantities of poultry litter on land is no longer considered acceptable.

Pointed by Mr Smylie to a government code for agriculture which emphasises the value of spreading manure on land, Mr Harrison said there were many examples where there can be such conflicting opinion, but planning guidance has “more weight than a code for farmers.”

The question of odour, consistently raised throughout the inquiry, was touched on again, and Mr Harrison made it clear that his client wished to develop his own land to the north of the A91, and the perception of odour was something that had to be taken into account when it came to new housing.

He also said that the proposed bypass and housing development planned for the north and west of Cupar would bring the “urban fringe” much closer to the proposed development, with more likely conflict of incompatible land uses.

Reporter Michael Cunliffe has indicated that his decision should be made by mid-April.