A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build an egg farm for 32,000 chickens looks set to gain approval – despite 130 objections.

Plans to build a free-range egg production unit at Castell Mawr, near Llanegryn, have been met with a wave of local objections.

The Pugh family, who have operated the Tyn-y-pwll farm for 30 years, are looking to expand their business and open up 40 acres of land for 32,000 chickens to produce eggs.

A total of 130 objections were received by the Snowdonia National Park Planning Authority for their October meeting which led to the planning officers proposing a site visit.

Objectors are concerned about the scale of the 2,700-square-metre building, the increase in heavy vehicle traffic, smell from the manure and possible vermin.

That site visit was held on 12 November and no major concerns were raised by members of the planning committee.

The plan was discussed by the national park’s planning committee yesterday (Wednesday), just after the Cambrian News went to press.

According to a report presented at the meeting, planning officers will recommend the application be approved.

Although the committee accepts that the egg farm will include a “very large building in National Park terms”, the visual impact will be “very localised” with “negligible distant harmful landscape impacts envisaged”.

The site visit also determined that the level of potential water and airborne pollutants are at a level that would not harm local ecologies and that there were “no overriding highway concerns”.

Additionally, following “very careful assessment of potential harmful effects on neighbouring residential amenity in terms of potential smells, noise, dust, lighting and vermin”, it was concluded that these matters can be “managed and controlled to an acceptable level so as not to cause a harmful effect”.

No objections were received from any public body and Llanegryn Community Council sent in no comments.