One can only describe the last 6 months and the continued “apparent due process” as being a bit of a challenge. 6 months ago we informed the powers that be of the requirement to move the red-line development boundary to cover the whole development, well it’s finally happened, you just can’t rush this level of ineptitude. Public Health England have submitting a rather non committal assessment. Quote! The installation has the potential to cause pollution such as fugitive emissions (ammonia, bio-aerosols, odorous compounds and particulates) and pollution to ground and surface water in the form of leachate and spillages. Furthermore, the potential exists to cause nuisance in respect of odour and noise. PHE would expect operational and environmental permit conditions to minimise fugitive emissions from the installation in order to minimise these risks”. Odour The most likely issue from intensive farms is from odorous emissions causing annoyance and potentially nuisance, especially if there are residential properties within 400 m of the installation. The applicant has conducted odour modelling which concludes levels of odour will not be above Environment Agency thresholds and therefore complaints are unlikely. We would expect the operator to have robust plans in place to deal appropriately with any odour complaints. The human nose is very sensitive to odours and often detects odorous chemicals at low concentrations in air which pose no toxicological risk to health. However it is acknowledged that chronic environmental odours can be unpleasant and affect wellbeing, hence it is very important that all odour producing activities on site are well managed and regulated. Summary Provided the installation is well managed and regulated PHE considers this type of activity likely to be of low public health impact. As a minimum PHE would expect the applicant to have a robust odour management plan which would include preventative measures and detailed procedures for dealing with complaints effectively. So, the human nose is very sensitive to odours!! I did wonder, thanks guys for the enlightenment, you’ve made my day. We are led to believe the applicants may have to submit a new application; I am amazed the planners are even involved considering the piece in Poultry News Cornwall-based Southern England Farms is investing £5 million to expand into free-range egg production, with the company beginning construction of new facilities this autumn and major retailers set to be supplied with eggs from over 100,000 hens from as early as the New Year. Is this a presumption in favour or a shaft of wit!!