Controversial chicken farm given go-ahead

Published 21 Aug 2009 11:33 4 Comments

Share this

MILIONAIRE businessman John Campbell has won his appeal to Scottish ministers regarding his controversial chicken farm in the Stobo Valley.

Local members of Tweeddale Area Committee sided with local residents and voted unanimously to reject the planning application last May.

However Government Reporter Philip Hutchinson upheld Campbell's appeal last week clearing the way for his company Glenrath Farms to erect a 160-metre shed to house 25,000 birds at Easter Happrew.

Glenrath Farms is the largest producer of eggs in the UK, packing an astounding 1.3 million a day for supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda.

The application in the Upper Tweeddale National Scenic Area, drew almost 500 letters of objection, but won favour from statutory consultation bodies and also Scottish Borders Council"s own planning officials.

Environment watchdogs SEPA and Scottish Natural Heritage both lifted their objections following the publication of an impact study last October.

In his report Mr Hutchison acknowledged that he felt many of the 500 letters of objection to be fictitious as "over 100 are identical pro-forma copies and many betray unfamiliarity with the proposal and the site."

He also observed that the council's own landscape section had expressed conditional staisfaction with the proosal a week before Tweeddale area committee rejected it.

He said: "The NSA is no landscape museum where there is some absolutely insuperable presumption against development."

He also concluded that local councillors should have accepted the recommendation of its own planning officials and approved the application.

However councillor Catriona Bhatia has been left fuming by the ruling and feels "local objections were completely disregarded."

She said: "The Scottish Government in the case has just played fast and loose with local politics. Obviously National Scenic Area's are of no importnace so what is the point in having them?

"This is one of the most beautiful valleys in Scotland which will now be blighted due to the Scottish Government interfering in the planning process."

However, Glenrath Farms boss John Campbell feels his local councillors should have approved the application first day saving him a lot of time and money.

She said: "This whole process has cost me almost £1 million. I thought local councillors would support local jobs and industry that's why I'm glad that the Government Reporter recognised the economic benefits.

"The farm should now be and up and running by 2012 and it's the company's intention to have added another 100 jobs to the area by then also.

"We're delighted with the result and would like to thank Scottish Borders Council officials who've been helpful at all times."

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 21 Aug 09

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Jodie Taylor
Unregistered User
Aug 26, 11:41
Report comment

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee don't build a chicken farmmmm. :(

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
KevinR
Unregistered User
Aug 28, 11:14
Report comment

Why not?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
JammyP
Unregistered User
Aug 29, 10:49
Report comment

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road twice?

A: Because it was a double-crosser

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Jodie
Unregistered User
Sep 2, 10:17
Report comment

sorry about that comment lol. i thought you was building it right outside where i live. sorry :D

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Peeblesshire News Poll

Are you in favour of wind farms?

This Poll is now closed.

Yes (70.0%)

No (30.0%)

Follow @peeblesnews