New plans have been put forward for an industrial-sized chicken farm near Crieff that could house up to 16,000 birds.
International chicken giant Aviagen has asked Perth and Kinross Council for permission to build four poultry-rearing sheds at a derelict site near Knappilands, Crieff.
Council planning chiefs have been asked to consider the plan, with locals invited to submit comments by March 16.
A second notice of application has also been submitted for another site near Purreldeggie.
The new proposals follow a failed bid by the same company in 2020 to construct a 26,000 bird compound in a field south west of Murthly.
Aviagen was asked to withdraw the first application, which attracted significant opposition from the local community with over 200 objections.
Writing to Aviagen in 2020, council planners told the company to reconsider the location and present options for a more rural site in Crieff.
Perth and Kinross Council also raised objections to the original plan’s intention to “remove and level” sections of the existing Ha Ha – a negative wall or ditch landscape feature, often enclosing an open space, that removes the need for barriers and allows open views across a landscape.
The new location submitted for consideration is some 330 metres from the nearest property.
Explaining how the industrial poultry unit would operate, planning documents say: “The farm will operate on a 42-week cycle and contain four modern poultry sheds each housing a maximum of 4,000 birds per shed at peak capacity, with a maximum capacity of 16,000 birds on site.”
Each of the four sheds would measure approximately 73m long by 18.5m wide.
Odour monitors
Aviagen says it has carried out a number of studies to assess what impact the farm would have on the local community, including a noise impact assessment and dust and odour modelling.
Concluding that complaints about the smell from the farm would be unlikely, the statement says sensitive receptors around the development would not be exposed to odours likely to cause nuisance.
“An odour management plan is proposed for the farm,” the report adds.
Sepa objection
Scotland’s environmental regulator Sepa has lodged an objection to the proposals.
It asked for a holding objection to be put in place, saying the information supplied was insufficient for them to make an assessment of potential impacts relating to flooding and ecology.
Resident concern over Crieff chicken farm
One Crieff resident who got in touch with The Courier urged Perth and Kinross Council to reject the chicken farm proposals.
Heather Tuck said that while the applications “lay great emphasis” on the fact they would replace derelict poultry sheds, they would be encroaching on to “prime agricultural land”.
Heather said: “As of 2020, there were over 95 intensive poultry units in Scotland.
“These industrial units should be kept to brownfield sites and not creep into the countryside under the guise of farm diversification.
“The lure of an £18m investment must not be put above public health, avian flu outbreaks, the loss of prime agricultural land, contamination and air borne pollutants.”
Asked about the concerns, a spokesperson for Aviagen said: “We welcome everyone’s comments during the consultation process and if there are other residents with concerns, please do get in touch.”
