Pig farmer’s appeal to get livestock shed

Frank Tobin of Holmefield Farm Services at Brandy Wharf Piggery wants to put up a 63 metre x 15.54 metre building for an additional 1,000 pigs.

West Lindsey District Council turned down the application back in November after residents objected to the proposal, raising concerns about ‘obnoxious’ smells.

But the farm is now hoping to overturn that decision with an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

The application states: “The proposed development has limited additional commercial transport impacts and will generate approximately 40 additional livestock lorries per annum.

“At all nearby residences considered… the odour concentrations would be below the Environment Agency’s benchmark for moderately offensive odours.

“There will be no perceived change in extract fan noise emissions… the extract fans on the new unit will result in a negligible noise impact.

“As the proposal is for the expansion of an existing agricultural building complex, the design and materials are identical to the existing buildings to which development is adjacent.

“The building will be immediately grouped with other similar buildings and the landscape impact is negligible.”

The farm currently has 640 sows, 2250 weaners and 1920 finishing pigs - the proposed building would be used for rearing and finishing.

Objecting to plans, a resident said: “The existing facility causes significant nuisance smells around the area and at our property when the wind is in the prevailing direction.

“More buildings means more stock and more nuisance from the obnoxious smell, which at times does make us feel physically ill and we have no option but to stay indoors.

“We find this totally unacceptable, having lived in South Kelsey for more than 50 years.

“A further concern is the potential traffic nuisance associated with moving slurry in larger tankers along small roads and through the villages.”

The resident said the operation already had ‘significant heavy agricultural vehicle activity’, which they said affected road safety and the condition of the roads.

South Kelsey and Moortown Parish Council clerk, Jenny Stimson said: “The odour is constant, and when the wind is from the south west, which is generally the majority of the time, the odour drifts through the village.”

Another resident said: “We live in sight and smell of the current piggery. We suffer from the smell most days, a sickly, pungent, unpleasant aroma. We were led to believe that there would be minimum smell from the current facility due to air filtration. This turned out to be untrue.”

Turning down the plan, WLDC said: “The application fails to demonstrate compatibility with neighbouring residential land uses, and that no adverse impact upon air quality from odour, fumes, dust and other sources would arise.”