A PLANNING application to build extensive chicken broiler rearing units at Chances Pitch was withdrawn this week.

Confirmation came from Herefordshire Planning Officer, Mark Tansley, and the move came after a revised and re-submitted application was opposed by Ledbury Town Council, by a unanimous vote, at a special planning meeting on Monday evening, December 15.

The issue was also discussed by town councillors at last week's full town council meeting.

Speaking then, the Herefordshire Councillor for Ledbury, Cllr Liz Harvey said she had been assured that the town council's original objections to the scheme, submitted in November, would be taken into account by planning officers, because the amended plans entailed "just shifting the sheds around".

"I think the town council's original objections all still apply, so I don't think we need to re-submit," she said.

Over 500 members of the public also voiced their own objections to Herefordshire Council, over the initial proposals to build four broiler rearing units on land at Chance's Pitch, measuring 10,000 square metres in total.

Speaking after Monday's meeting, Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Bob Barnes said the town council's original objections remained, that the proposed development was "in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and it's the wrong scale."

Town Councillors were also concerned that the broiler units would be visible from the British Camp beauty spot, on the Malvern Hills.

They were also concerned about an increase in heavy goods vehicles passing through the town, if the chicken farm should ever gain approval, and they were also worried about possible smells.

The fact that the planning application has been withdrawn, however, does not mean that a revised plan could not be re-submitted at some time in the future.