4,000 pig farm gets opposition from villagers

Villagers in the Yorkshire Wolds are fighting plans to build a huge pig-rearing unit near their homes.

Some 108 people in Burton Fleming, near Driffield, about a quarter of the village's population, wrote to council planners objecting to the project.

Under the plans by York Wold Pig Pro Ltd, two sheds each housing 2,000 pigs would be built at Maidensgrave Farm.

The plan goes before East Riding Council's planners on Thursday with a recommendation that it is refused.

But the farmer who would be using it said there were "misconceptions" about the plans, which he said met environmental regulations.

Joe Dewhirst, of York Wold Pig Pro, said: "The statutory requirement is that a pig unit should not be allowed within 400 metres of a village the size of Burton Fleming. Ours is about 1,100 metres [away].

"There is plenty of land. We have about 60% more land to spread slurry on than the current legislation requires."

The Environment Agency said it had no objections.

However, the parish council objected saying the proposal would "dominate and destroy the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape".

The smell from the pig units and slurry spreading would be "unbearable", it added.

There were also fears that the slurry could contaminate the watercourse as far as Bridlington harbour.

East Riding Council planners are recommending refusal, saying the units would have "an unacceptable detrimental impact on residents".


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