AN animal rights protester has revealed his surprise at news a council committee is unlikely to object to proposals for a controversial pig farm.
Roger Swain, a member of Derby Animal Rights Group, spoke after South Derbyshire District Council planners recommended that no objection be raised to a 28-hectare pig farm in Foston.
Midland Pig Producers (MPP) is close to the end of its application period, and wants to house up to 25,000 sows on land adjacent to Foston Prison.
The proposal has already seen more than 2,800 objections submitted — more recently from the Environment Agency (EA) which said MPP had failed to provide enough information about how it would manage pollution risk.
It also said the farm could cause ‘a detrimental impact to groundwater quality.’ The company previously applied for planning permission from the district council, which prompted campaigners to make their point outside the authority’s Civic Way offices in Swadlincote.
However, Derbyshire County Council took over the case when it became clear the plans involved ‘substantial waste management’ — part of the authority’s remit.
Now, officers will ask councillors at the district council’s planning meeting next Tuesday not to object to the plans, as the site is agricultural.
A document says: “Having taken all the submitted information, responses from consultees and examined all the policy considerations as set out, the conclusion is that while this is a substantial development in the countryside, the primary use of the site is agricultural and as such a location in the countryside can be acceptable.”
The approval will come with conditions which will include odour control measures and that the site, its plant and equipment shall be operated in accordance with manufacturers’ requirements.
In the event that there is a breakdown of noise or odour control measures, the site would be prepared for shutdown.
However, Mr Swain spoke of his disgust that the council had come to this decision.
He said: “The district council has a responsibility to its electorate so I am quite surprised it has taken this view. It is not seeing the bigger picture.
“I disagree that the location is acceptable.
There is a huge amount of waste involved. The Environment Agency has also objected which will put a lot of weight behind it.”
A spokesman for MPP said its farm, which would harness the methane power of the 2,500 sows to power a huge generator feeding into the national grid, would not produce bad smells.
The company also said it had been consulting animal rights experts about plans to keep the pigs in pens.
