URGENT UPDATE: Residents in the Northumberland hamlet of Colwell are mobilizing against a controversial proposal for an intensive chicken farm that could house 220,000 broiler chickens per cycle, totaling 1.7 million chickens annually. Well House Farm has submitted plans to Northumberland County Council, prompting over 100 objections from concerned locals.
The proposed development has raised significant alarms regarding animal welfare, environmental impact, and public health. Rachel Mellor, a local sales assistant, expressed deep concerns, stating,
“If this proposed factory farm is allowed to go ahead, it will cause irreparable and severe harm to the lives and health of the men, women, and children who call Colwell home.”
Residents fear that the massive sheds will pollute the area and pose risks to local wildlife, particularly to the nearby Hallington Reservoirs Wildlife Site.
Local MP Joe Morris has stepped in, voicing concerns in a letter to the council about potential water pollution and avian influenza. He warned that the plan could generate substantial ammonia emissions and pose a direct threat to drinking water quality, impacting both human and wildlife health. Morris stated,
“The concentration of many thousands of birds in close confinement would significantly elevate the local risk of avian influenza outbreaks.”
The campaign against the chicken sheds is gaining momentum. Residents have been actively leafleting door-to-door and outside local supermarkets, rallying support from groups like Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF). Jo Lazarus, Volunteer Coordinator for CAFF, highlighted the emotional toll, saying,
“Locals are rightly horrified at the thought of thousands of birds suffering in terrible conditions just down the road from them.”
Environmental advocates, including Compassion in World Farming and Sustain, have also submitted objections, emphasizing the detrimental effects of intensive farming on rural life and climate targets.
As the situation develops, residents are urged to voice their concerns via the council’s planning portal. A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council stated, “We are unable to comment on live planning applications. Residents can make comments and raise concerns in relation to the application via the Council’s planning portal.”
This proposal’s fate hangs in the balance as community voices grow louder against the looming threat of industrial poultry farming in their idyllic countryside. Residents are determined to protect their environment, health, and property values from what they perceive as a dangerous transformation of their rural landscape.
Stay informed on this unfolding story as more updates emerge.
