COUNTY planners have rejected a scheme for six new poultry houses in Moreton-on-Lugg.

Permission was sought to construct the units along with feed bins, ancillary works, a biomass boiler building and single storey ancillary building at Upper House Farm.

The site currently operates six poultry units with 271,000 broilers and the additional development would have resulted in 542,000 birds on site.

But Herefordshire Council’s planning committee heard on Wednesday that residents had tolerated strong odours and noise problems for a long time.

Ward member, Councillor Kema Guthrie, told members the smell from the six existing sheds was particularly strong when the sheds were being cleaned out.

She added there were also concerns regarding additional traffic on the nearby A49.

Speaking on behalf of the applicants, Graham Clark said the site was just three miles from a processing plant. He added the proposal complied with all local and national planning policies.

However, Councillor Felicity Norman said she believed the proposal was a “step too far”.

“I think we have to look at the real costs of cheap food, industrial agriculture, and the consequences to the environment, to our health and people’s amenity and other economic activity such as tourism,” she added.

Six councillors voted to refuse the application, three abstained and four voted against refusal.