Pig farm company granted extra three months to answer agency's questions
A FIRM behind plans for a farm at Foston that would house up to 25,000 pigs has been granted a three-month extension on a deadline to answer Environment Agency questions on its proposals.
Midland Pig Producers had been told to get more information to the agency about a device for cleaning air on the farm by January 31. Now it has until May to complete the task.
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But public campaigners say the continued delays in getting the application before a planning committee show that the firm is "fighting an uphill battle". James Davies, representing campaigners against the Foston farm, said: "These continued delays prove the company has no idea of the complexities involved in running such a scheme.
"As a company, they have no experience of running a factory farm as big as the one they are proposing."
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A company spokeswoman said the agency questions were related to the farm's "air filtration system".
She said: "The Environment Agency requested some additional information, which we are happy to provide. Unfortunately, the independent expert asked to undertake analysis of our data has been unwell, meaning that we could not provide the requested information by 31 January. So we requested an extension."
A petition against the farm has been signed by more than 25,000 people, citing concerns over animal welfare, risk to human health and the spread of disease.
No date has yet been set by the county council's planning committee to make a decision on the application, according to a spokesman.
Comments
by Wombler
Monday, February 11 2013, 8:06AM
“Be as though the pigs have as much sense as half of those who will be deciding this issue, we could all let them have a chance to vote on it.”