North Kesteven District Council receive 59 objections to pig fattening unit plan for Harmston

The plans have been submitted to North Kesteven District Council for land north of Station Road in the village.

But, local residents have “strongly objected” to the plans and said it would be “unsuited” to the area and be too close to neighbouring homes.

DF Meanwell Ltd lodged the proposal to build a pig finishing unit with spaces for 1,920 pigs in an effort to “diversify” its operations.

The building would be operated with White Rose Farms Ltd and would see the pigs increased in weight from 40kg to 110kg.

But, residents have said the smell would be “obnoxious” from the new building and affect the village.

Professor Michael Maloney, who lives on Harmston Park Avenue, said the unit would be more suited to the open countryside.

“I had the misfortune of living near a pig fattening unit/farm many years ago,” he said.

“The smell was obnoxious, the noise deafening, and there were only about 400 pigs at that unit.

“Times that by five and it becomes totally unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Rosemary King, The Walled Gardens, said the new unit would increase traffic into the village which it is “utterly unsuited” for.

“The road into the village is too narrow for large lorries as it is, but with increased traffic it will become unsustainable,” she said.

“With the Eastern Bypass to shortly come into use, there will be further traffic on this rat-run of a road.”

Other residents claimed the unit would “stick out like a sore thumb” and ruin the views in the village.

The developers said the farm currently relies on arable farming and has no livestock.

It said in its plans: “Given the uncertainty surrounding the future of the single farm payment and all subsidised farming activities, the applicants have an essential need to diversify to a more sustainable and self-sufficient operation.

“The chosen diversification is the development of a pig finishing unit which will be operated on a contract basis with White Rose Farms Ltd.

“The applicants will provide the proposed building and supervision of the pig unit in return for a contract fee.”

The district council will make a decision on the plans at a later date.