Planned free-range unit shelved

Plans for  a new  20-acre  free -range  poultry  unit  near Derby have been  withdrawn over  environmental  concerns, though they should be  re-submitted  at a later date.

The  proposed unit  at  Kirk Langley, which  would have  housed 16,000 chickens, would have been an official supplier  to John Bowler Eggs.

But prior  to a public  meeting, when it  was feared that residents  would  raise environmental worries, owners Simon and Juliette Blake  withdrew their application.

Mrs Blake said the plans  would now  be  reconsidered and then resubmitted to Amber Valley District Council.

She added : “The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust wanted to conduct a tree survey and assess the project’s impact on nature.

“We wanted the application to be 100% squeaky clean so we thought we would withdraw and reapply when the survey was done.”