Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

NORTHER IRELAND – BIGGEST INDUSTRIAL PIG FARM EVER TO BE ESTABLISHED

– PLEASE OBJECT NOW !!!!!!!

THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO – PLEASE DO NOW AND SHARE THE MESSAGE WIDELY – Thank you

Please object NOW!

We have been informed that the public consultation has been extended, but no closing date has yet been given.

We have just been made aware of plans to build a gigantic pig farm in Northern Ireland that will hold 30,000 animals at a time. These plans dwarf even those of the Foston proposal, which – as you will remember – we defeated together.

Although the proposal is in Northern Ireland it is vitally important that people from across the UK send in an objection.

If the plans go ahead it could lead to a precedent being set for more of these mega farms being built elsewhere.

Say no to the NI mega pig farm!

We have just been made aware of plans to build a gigantic pig farm in Northern Ireland that will hold 30,000 animals at a time. These plans dwarf even those of the Foston proposal, which – as you will remember – we defeated together.

Although the proposal is in Northern Ireland it is vitally important that people from across the UK send in an objection. If the plans go ahead it could lead to a precedent being set for more of these mega farms being built elsewhere.

Local activists were only made aware on these plans in the past few days. Please object NOW!

We have been informed that the public consultation has been extended, but no closing date has yet been given.

Please send the objection below. Or even better personalise it.

Please note: we have had a few technical issues with the form. We are trying to fix it, but in the meantime please copy and paste the message below into an email (with you name and address) and send to planning@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk 

 If you have problems with that email send to info@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk   instead and put in the email header: “FAO Planning Department”.

Sample Letter (or modify to your own version;

but keep it polite please)

“Dear Antrim and Newtownabbey Planning Department

 I am writing to you to lodge a formal objection to the planned pig farm off Reahill Road, Newtownabbey, County Antrim (Ref: LA03/2015/0051/F).

Animal welfare: I know this isn’t taken into account when deciding the outcome of planning meetings, but I strongly believe it should be. Pigs are highly intelligent animals. On a development this size it will be difficult to spot diseased or suffering pigs – which poses potential dangers to other animals on site and workers and local residents.  I do not believe that it is possible to provide high welfare for 30,000 pigs on an indoor farm this size.

Risk to human health: keeping large numbers of animals near residential dwellings is a well-known potential disease risk to humans (one resident lives a mere 300 metres from the proposed site). In light of recent swine flu outbreaks a recent study that showed that potentially deadly superbugs can be spread by flies from pig farms to people living miles away this should be of particular concern.

Environmental impact: this farm will not be ‘green’. In fact, the methane from the pigs themselves will produce huge amounts of carbon equivalent gases. Local residents have said that the area is near a hill and floods regularly. It does not seem feasible that the local waterways/watertable will not be affected – especially as there will be two lagoons (one for water, and one for pig waste). In June 2012, Derek Hall of Hall’s Pig Farms (the site developer) was fined after an officer of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency traced a ‘milky liquid’ discharge found in Three Mile Water River to Mr Hall’s farm. The Rivers Agency have objected to the plans as a Drainage Assessment has not been submitted and believe that potential flooding issues have not been addressed

Earlier this year the Environment Agency rejected plans for a similar pig mega-farm in England. They said the scheme at Foston, Derbyshire would “offend human senses” and cause “significant pollution due to odour”. What is the Environment Agency’s position to this proposal?

Anaerobic digester: I understand that there will be an anaerobic digester on site. However, it is also my understanding that anaerobic digesters can actually be responsible for producing smells and toxic gases, and in the worst case scenario can be a fire or explosion risk. Good practice dictates that these should not be built near to residential areas (especially one of this size)  and to do so would potentially put lives at risk. It will also use huge amounts of water – as will the farm itself – and would potentially pollute surrounding land.

Noise: the developers say that the noise will be minimal. This is hard to take seriously, as noise will be generated by machinery and from the animals themselves as they are taken to slaughter (over a  thousand a week).

Increased traffic: industrial farms of this size generate large amounts of HGV traffic, from moving animal feed and waste products. This is likely to impact negatively on local roadways and the lives of local people.

Jobs for local people: factory farms are not big employers, so any benefit to the economy will be minimal at best.

This proposal is a significant development for the whole of the UK. Allowing it to proceed would set a dangerous precedent for the future intensification and factory farming in the UK. I strongly urge you to reject the proposed plans.

Yours faithfully”

[Very important – remember to add your name and address!] 

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS |