Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Graeme Kirk

February 2016: Why is mastering the planning process proving so difficult?

Graeme KirkBy Graeme KirkFebruary 5, 20163 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

In my page 3 comment in the January issue of Pig World, I talked about a failed planning application for two BQP-type sheds in Herefordshire. The big issue with that particular case was that the planners had gone against the planning officer’s recommendation to pass the project, and instead rejected it for ill-informed, emotional reasons.

I feel I have to return to the topic this month because of another failed application –  this time in the even more agricultural county of Lincolnshire. Another two BQP-type sheds have failed to get planning consent, although this time for very different reasons.

The application, for a site at Upton, near Gainsborough, was rejected primarily because of an objection from the Environment Agency (EA) prompted by a lack of information about how pollution, noise and odour would be managed. This resulted in the planning authority, West Lindsey District Council, deciding that a full environmental impact statement was required, and without it the application had to be refused.

With the knowledge that there are already a large number of similar buildings around the country, this situation immediately brings two questions to mind. First, if it’s been established that environmental impact assessments are required for these buildings, why wasn’t one automatically carried out in this case? And second, the EA must be similarly familiar with these type of buildings by now, so unless there were any particular potential pollution issues with this site, why make the applicants jump through additional hoops just for the sake of it?

I make these points because, as far as I’m concerned, there are sufficient precedents around that – unless there are special circumstances to the contrary – should make receiving planning permission little more than a formality.

Given that planning and environmental legislation should be the same across England, there should be no shortage of successful applications available online – complete with the planning officers’ comments – to help build the perfect application.

All the information is in the public domain these days, and like lawyers looking for a legal precedent, planning advisers should also do their homework – a planning application is expensive enough without having to pay twice.

As an interesting postscript, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service also raised an objection that there was an insufficient water supply for dealing with any fires that might break out at the site. And Animal Aid raised concerns that in the event of a flood or fire, the pigs could not have been safely evacuated. Must be a case of the water source that might lead to flooding isn’t wet enough for fire fighting!

Incidentally, Animal Aid collected 4,000 objections to the development from an online campaign, but with the application failing on a technicality, it’s unclear how that might have swayed the planning committee.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticlePeter Crichton’s commentary for February 5, 2016
Next Article February 2016: How on earth do the dutch keep going?
Graeme Kirk

Read Similar Stories

August 2016: Is cutting animal populations really the answer to climate change?

July 27, 2016

New retailer project may reveal a few home truths

July 3, 2016

June 2016: United Nations report calls for cuts in meat consumption

June 6, 2016
Latest News

UK poorly protected from animal diseases that could cost taxpayer billions – NPA tells MPs

July 8, 2025

What the pig sector can learn from poultry’s avian flu response

July 8, 2025

Tributes paid, after respected pig farmer, Rob Beckett, passes away

July 7, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson Farm Worker – Ref 1756 UK

    • United Kingdom
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.