Plans to add two new poultry houses at Foston farm

An application to add two additional poultry houses at a Foston farm could see almost 60,000 extra birds on the site.

Marris Foston Ltd has operated an existing broiler rearing unit at High Field Farm in Fallow Lane since 2016.

Plans have been submitted to add two poultry houses with associated feed bins, concrete apron, dirty water tank, drainage attenuation pond and landscaping.

The existing poultry houses have a site capacity of 178,000 birds, with each house capable of accommodating 44,500 birds.

The proposals seek to reduce the stocking density of the birds to meet a higher welfare standard by providing the birds with significantly more space in the buildings.

Under the plans, the existing four poultry houses would be reduced from 178,000 to 153,900 birds.

The two proposed houses would each accommodate 41,600, with an extra 83,200 bird places within the two new sheds.

This would see the total birds on site rise from 178,000 to 237,100, an increase of 59,100.

The proposed poultry houses and feed bins would be constructed from a steel portal frame with green external cladding to match the adjacent poultry houses.

As a result of the proposals, it is estimated that the number of vehicle movements to and from the site will increase from 1,034 to 1,308 per year.