A planning application has been submitted to Sevenoaks District Council for two broiler houses to be erected on land to the west of Beechcroft Farm Industries, Chapel Wood Road, Ash, Kent, TN15 7HX. Reference: 20/02772/LDCPR

Poultry facilities are a source of odour and attract flies, rodents and other pests that create local nuisances and carry disease.

A review by the Animal Production and Health Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/home/events/bangkok2007/docs/part2/2_2.pdf summarised that poultry farms adversely affect the life of people living in the vicinity and found the following:

- Pesticides used to control pests (e.g. parasites and disease vectors) and predators have been reported to cause pollution when they enter groundwater and surface water.

- Improper disposal of poultry carcasses can contribute to water-quality problems especially in areas prone to flooding or where there is a shallow water table.

- Process wastewater typically has high biochemical and chemical oxygen demand due to the presence of organic materials such as blood, fat, flesh, and excreta. It may also contain high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and residues of chemicals such as chlorine used for washing and disinfection, as well as various pathogens including Salmonella and Campylobacter.

- Poultry by-products and waste may contain up to 100 different species of micro-organisms, including pathogens, in contaminated feathers, feet and intestinal contents.

- Poultry manure contains considerable amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and other excreted substances such as hormones, antibiotics, pathogens and heavy metals which are introduced through feed (Steinfeld et al., in FAO, 2006b). Leaching and runoff of these substances has the potential to result in contamination of surface water and groundwater resources.

- Pollution of soil and water with nutrients, pathogens and heavy metals can be caused by poor manure-management and occurs where manure is stored.

Compassion In World Farming (https://www.ciwf.org.uk/farm-animals/chickens/meat-chickens/ reports that, in intensive chicken farms, the physical and mental well-being and natural living of the animals is compromised by overcrowding in filthy conditions, barren environments, and rapid growth. Chickens also suffer injury and stress through rough handling during catching, transport and slaughter.

Broiler chickens are bred to grow bigger and faster and are commonly be slaughtered before they reach six weeks old.

The chickens are given processed, concentrated feed made largely from soya grown on huge soya bean plantations which result in massive deforestation. Deforestation on this scale causes animals to be displaced and many face extinction. It also has a terrible effect on climate change.

Help protect the environment and the welfare of these chickens by signing this petition to STOP ASH CHICKEN FARM.

Please also comment on the planning application directly at: https://pa.sevenoaks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QHDLL9BKH0Y00&activeTab=summary