Council risks 'maladministration' in pig farm row

A council yet to issue a ruling over a controversial pig farm risks "maladministration" if it fails to resolve a long-running planning dispute soon, lawyers have said.

Villagers in Stow Bedon, near Attleborough, Norfolk, have made hundreds of complaints about the stench of ammonia after Cherry Tree Farm expanded to house 7,000 pigs in 2021.

Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) said Breckland Council - which is yet to determine two retrospective planning applications for the site - risked allowing the "unauthorised" development to become immune from enforcement action.

A council spokesman said the ELF letter would be be "taken into consideration as part of the determination process".

Food firm Cranswick submitted the new applications after the facility was found to have been constructed differently to approved plans.

It said it was operating within the parameters set by the Environment Agency (EA) and it was committed to ensuring it was a sustainable, modern farm delivering much-needed local food and providing employment.

Emma Montlake, head of casework at ELF, called on the local authority to refuse retrospective planning permission, due to the continued problems experienced by nearby residents.

They claim ammonia - the pungent gas that comes from manure and urine - causes irritation to the eyes, nose and throat and is emitted at high levels from the farm.

In a letter to Simon Wood, director of planning, she said: "Your council's failure to determine the two outstanding applications is an abrogation of your statutory duties, as is your continued failure to address the breaches of planning control.

"We are mindful of the time limits for taking enforcement action and we are concerned by any possibility of the unauthorised development obtaining immunity.

"Were that to happen, the responsibility for allowing this would fall fairly and squarely on your council and amount to clear maladministration."

In most cases, developments become immune from enforcement action if no action is taken within four years.

Ann Cuthbert, 66, a healthcare professional who lives near the farm, has likened the situation to "mass gaslighting" as numerous agencies appear reluctant to act.

"It is very simple – it has not been built how it is supposed to have been, breaching planning rules, but no one is doing anything about it," she said.

EA officials investigating the site also said they "felt unwell" after visiting the location, prompting calls for more staff training to be completed last year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A spokeswoman for Cranswick said: "As a longstanding Norfolk employer, it's important to us to be a good neighbour in all the local villages and communities where our farms are based.

"We have also made improvements on site to reduce odours, such as increasing chimney height and setting up sensors to track the wind direction, so we can make changes to our daily operations and minimise any impact on the local community."

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