Controversial Norfolk megafarm bid consultation begins

Cranswick's plans to create a chicken and pig megafarm that will spread across the villages of Methwold and Feltwell is expected to come before planners early next year.

The final consultation period will open today (November 20), giving people 30 days to have their final say.

An aerial view of the area in Methwold where the two farms would operate from (Image: Google)

WHAT ARE THE PLANS?

The food giant has submitted its final statement to West Norfolk Council (WNC).

Under the plans, 20 sheds will house 870,000 chickens, with 14 buildings for 14,000 pigs on land that was previously an RAF base.

The site has been used for pig farming, but the plans represent a major expansion to create an area which will be around one-third the size of the O2 Arena.

Cranswick says it will be a "sustainable, modern farm" that will help deliver affordable produce, create jobs and boost the local economy.

However, it has been met with continued backlash.

Denise Charlesworth (L) and Shirley De'Ath have launched a campaign group against the plans (Image: Owen Sennitt)

MASS OBJECTIONS

Since the application was first lodged two years ago, there have been about 15,000 letters of objection submitted to WNC.

This follows various opposition campaigns being started by animal rights groups, including PETA. 

The CEO of Quorn, the vegetarian food giant which has a site in Methwold, also opposed the bid.

Marco Bertacca, CEO of Quorn Foods (Image: Quorn Foods)

People living in the surrounding villagers have expressed their concerns about road safety and the potential for pollution being emitted from the site.

It follows experiences from people living next to other Cranswick sites, such as at Stow Bedon, who have complained their health has been affected by a large pig farm. 

CLIMATE FEARS

Campaign groups have also claimed the plans lack information about how the scheme may affect the environment.

International charity the World Wide Fund for Nature and climate action group Feedback and Sustain have both say the plans still fail to adequately assess the impact the farms will have.

Ruth Westcott, campaign manager at Sustain, said: “Industrial megafarms like this are completely unnecessary.

"As well as the unacceptable impact on the climate, family farmers say these kind of supply chains impose prices, trading terms, and insecurity that they can’t survive."

Methwold village sign (Image: Denise Bradley)

Jake White, head of legal advocacy at the WWF, added: "The world’s food system is responsible for over a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

"The new environmental statement put forward by Cranswick is far from satisfactory on either legal or environmental grounds.

"The council must now insist that there is a proper assessment, failing which these applications must be refused.” 

However, Cranswick insists it has made a "full analysis" of greenhouse gas emissions required for the application.

A spokesman said: "We are satisfied that all of the necessary information has been included."

The proposed plans for the two connected sites in Methwold and Feltwell (Image: West Norfolk Council)

WHAT NEXT?

WNC has said it is expected that the application will go before the planning committee early in the new year.

It is expected to be one of the biggest decisions in recent history in west Norfolk due to the level of opposition that has mounted against it.

There are two separate applications for the chicken and pig farms.

The reference numbers are: 22/00860/FM and 22/00866/FM.

You can find the applications by visiting online.west-norfolk.gov.uk/online-applications.

A council spokeswoman has urged people wishing to comment on the application to do so via its planning portal on its website, rather than email.

People can comment directly on the portal, which are immediately displayed and added to the application.

This is much quicker than submitting letters and emails and will avoid lengthy delays to comments appearing on the portal, as letters must be scanned and uploaded.