Planning application – North Northamptonshire (East Northants district) 18/01284/FUL for massive poultry farm on Northants/Bedford Borough border

It has been brought to our attention that the above planning application for a site off the Bedford Road Rushden – entrance just to the north of the “Souldrop Turn” The site itself is just north of the village of Knotting – it is being re-consulted following the receipt of additional information from the applicant, Bedfordia. Some will remember that the application is for a massive broiler chicken, intensive poultry unit which will breed and process 1/2 million (500,000) chickens every 49 days. The application will have a huge impact on our area due to the inevitable increasing of HGV movements along the A6 by over 30%! More importantly however is the adverse environmental impact that a plant of such size will have on our countryside. It is planned to deposit the manure from this enormous number of birds across Bedfordia farmland in north Bedfordshire and almost all Parishes in North Bedfordshire (including to the west of Souldrop) will be impacted – here is the link for the document from the application which on it’s last page shows the Manure spreading map. This will be in addition to the very large amount of pig manure already being spread onto Bedfordia land from their large intensive pig farm located near to Twinwoods. KNBG are concerned of environmental issues, of the severe river pollution in parts of the UK caused by the spreading of large amounts of animal waste across fields which is then washed into the river system. Most of the Bedfordia land impacted by the proposed manure spreading will be in the hugely sensitive River Great Ouse valley area and alongside streams feeding the Great Ouse. With Climate Change likely to cause increasing periods of very heavy rainfall, severe pollution of the River Great Ouse can be expected by these proposed activities. The River Great Ouse supplies much of our drinking water and is already suffering from the crisis of Biodiversity loss. There are also very important animal welfare issues arising from the intensive rearing of so many birds in such confined areas. We therefore urge everyone to respond to the additional consultation. The final date for responses is 26th September 2021. It has been brought to our attention that the above planning application for a site off the Bedford Road Rushden – entrance just to the north of the “Souldrop Turn” The site itself is just north of the village of Knotting – it is being re-consulted following the receipt of additional information from the applicant, Bedfordia. Some will remember that the application is for a massive broiler chicken, intensive poultry unit which will breed and process 1/2 million (500,000) chickens every 49 days. The application will have a huge impact on our area due to the inevitable increasing of HGV movements along the A6 by over 30%! More importantly however is the adverse environmental impact that a plant of such size will have on our countryside. It is planned to deposit the manure from this enormous number of birds across Bedfordia farmland in north Bedfordshire and almost all Parishes in North Bedfordshire (including to the west of Souldrop) will be impacted – here is the link for the document from the application which on it’s last page shows the Manure spreading map. This will be in addition to the very large amount of pig manure already being spread onto Bedfordia land from their large intensive pig farm located near to Twinwoods. KNBG are concerned of environmental issues, of the severe river pollution in parts of the UK caused by the spreading of large amounts of animal waste across fields which is then washed into the river system. Most of the Bedfordia land impacted by the proposed manure spreading will be in the hugely sensitive River Great Ouse valley area and alongside streams feeding the Great Ouse. With Climate Change likely to cause increasing periods of very heavy rainfall, severe pollution of the River Great Ouse can be expected by these proposed activities. The River Great Ouse supplies much of our drinking water and is already suffering from the crisis of Biodiversity loss. There are also very important animal welfare issues arising from the intensive rearing of so many birds in such confined areas. We therefore urge everyone to respond to the additional consultation. The final date for responses is 26th September 2021.