Campaigners Allege ‘Megafarm’ Plans Are Unlawful

A campaign organization has asserted that a proposal for constructing one of the United Kingdom’s largest industrial farms is “unlawful.” Cranswick, a food production company, intends to enlarge an existing facility located in Methwold, Norfolk, enabling it to raise millions of chickens and tens of thousands of pigs annually within the county. However, Sustain, a business network, has contended that the planning submission violates legal requirements due to its omission of potential greenhouse gas emissions from the proposed site. A Cranswick spokesperson stated: “We have considered the extent to which the full analysis of GHG emissions were required for this planning application and are satisfied that all of the necessary information has been included.” Cranswick operates as a producer of pork and chicken, supplying its meat products to prominent supermarkets. The company submitted an application in April to expand a farm situated on land at Methwold, which previously served as an RAF base. The development plans, characterized as a “megafarm,” have been formally submitted to West Norfolk Council. These plans indicate the company’s intention to demolish current poultry sheds and erect 20 new structures to accommodate 870,000 chickens. Additionally, the company seeks to construct 14 new buildings for 14,000 pigs, alongside housing facilities for personnel employed at the location. Ruth Westcott, a campaign manager for Sustain, leads a network comprising approximately 100 organizations within the food sector. She noted that the council had not requested Cranswick to incorporate its anticipated greenhouse gas emissions into its submission. She stated: “Our advice says the council acted unlawfully because they scoped climate change out of the application.” She further explained: “That means information around the likely greenhouse gas impacts hasn’t been included in a way which would allow the public or the council to be able to assess this project properly on climate change grounds.” West Norfolk Council reported receiving over 15,500 objections to the proposition, characterizing this volume as “unusual.” These objections highlight worries regarding pollution, traffic congestion, and potential odors emanating from the site. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has also dispatched a letter to the council, asserting that the environmental consequences of the agricultural complex had not undergone adequate evaluation. Conversely, Cranswick, which provides employment for 14,000 individuals throughout the UK, affirmed that the undertaking would establish a sustainable and contemporary farm, contributing to the provision of affordable food. West Norfolk Council was scheduled to render a decision on the application earlier in the current year. However, the decision has been postponed while the authority verifies the receipt of all pertinent information from the applicant. A council spokeswoman announced that a public consultation regarding the proposal would be conducted “shortly.” A council report detailing the scheme is anticipated for publication early next year. For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.