Commenting on the planning application, BBAG Secretary Viv Thomson said:"Glenrath Farms Ltd intend to create an agri-industrial development in a wet, windswept upland valley close to Blyth Bridge, Mountain Cross and Romanno Bridge. Currently there is nothing with which  to compare this development, so it is imperative that all the implications are examined before any application is heard.

"The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) commissioned by Glenrath should have allayed the fears of the local people regarding potential damage to the environment, tourism, the local rights of way, pollution, flooding, smell and many, many other concerns. Instead of allaying fears, it set alarm bells ringing.

"The EIA fails to detail the rich and diverse wildlife on the Blythbank Estate. Scottish Badgers have confirmed the existence of a 'fairly major sett' and have recommended that a full survey be carried out to confirm the existence of other setts, already known to local people. A local environmental consultant has also recommended that a full bio-diversity survey is carried out to protect the otters, rich birdlife, bats and varieties of orchids and other wild flowers on the raised bog part of the site."

Planning consent was granted to build the first shed in spite of pleas from the people living in the villages surrounding Blythbank Estate for a full EIA to be carried out before any building commenced.

Mrs Thomson continued: "The sheds are 1/10th of a mile each in length and if planning permission is granted, there will be 11 sheds in an area which is the gateway to the Borders. There are also plans to develop another 8 smaller units on the east side of the Bogsbank Road, which is adjacent to Blythbank and the road to West Linton. These units would house an additional 24,000 organic birds. Local people are also concerned at the potential to harm the water supply for Edinburgh City as the Talla Main culvert runs through the estate gathering water from springs. We are already aware of the current problems in containing the run-off water from the existing building into the swale or collecting pond. At present the shed is unstocked with birds, but the potential to contaminate the Talla Main and the two tributaries that feed into the Tweed when the shed is stocked must remain a concern.

"Glenrath Farms already have significant egg production units nearby and another 324,000 hens on top of an estimated existing 1 million birds, as well as other traditional farming practices must be fully examined."

The proposed development conflicts with a wide range of Scottish Borders Council's own Planning Policies and some of these include Hazardous Development, National Wildlife Sites, Development Affecting the Water Environment, Employment uses outwith Employment Land, Pedestrian and Cycle Routes, Water Catchment Areas, Business and Tourism and Leisure Development in the Countryside.

"EIA states that the development would be irreversible" said Viv Thomson. "This area is enjoyed by many people and is a haven for wildlife and to lose it to nothing more than business expansion would be unforgivable."

 

Editors' Notes:
The BlythBank Action Group was formed in 2005 when the planning application for the first shed was discovered. The group comprises local people, many with relevant areas of expertise.

The group has commissioned reports from two international consultants. Their full reports will be made available to Scottish Borders Planning Committee in the near future.

If approved, this agri-industrial development would involve:

• 300,000 free range hens spread over 600-700 acres of the Longstruther Burn Valley
• 10 units (additional to the one unit already in place) containing 25,000 hens each. In total the units, if placed end to end, would stretch for well over 1 mile
• Roughly 15-20 acres of farmland being built on to accommodate the units and their hardstandings
• It is estimated that up to 15,000 tonnes of manure will be produced annually, a proportion of which would be deposited by the hens on the farmland
• 5-6 million gallons of water would be needed per annum, most of which would be abstracted via bore holes etc.
• 30,000 tonnes of quarrying material being used for the roads, hardstandings etc, most probably quarried from the valley
• Miles and miles of internal roads would need to be constructed to cater for the 20,000 or so vehicle movements needed to initially build and then operate the business
• Roads which would intersect/use the two existing Rights of Way which bisect the valley at present.