CRAIGNATHRO EGGS

Throughout the planning process, our multi-disciplinary approach was required to present the most effective solution to environmental challenges—the requirements for siting and operating a hen shed fall beyond the remit of planning legislation. Up to five separate bodies regulate the industry and hen shed design requirements.

Understanding the competing demands of operational sites has always been a hallmark of our design-to-delivery approach, which ensures that the planning permission and site layout are acutely aware of the real-world requirements of a project. This approach inevitably leads to competing ambitions and a balanced compromise of risk and requirement.

Two areas of development required specialist input. Firstly, the issue of Squires vs Shropshire Council. In summary, this judgement stated that any EIA for a hen shed needs to consider the environmental effects of spreading and storing manure as a by-product of the development. This issue had no guidance or methodology on how to complete these assessments at a local or national level. Working alongside James Findlay KC, our team provided a robust, logical and sound assessment of fact and understanding to allow the theoretical spreading and storage of manure with no significant adverse effects on the environment for air quality, dust, odour and water quality. This genuinely ground-breaking work overturned the Shropshire judgement, which has seen new developments wastefully commit to sending manure to anaerobic digesters. This solution is apt and sustainable, it does not contribute to a circular economy or zero-waste farming.

The use of hen manure onsite allows a reduction in artificial fertiliser use, with the associated carbon-producing production and factory-to-farm miles eliminated, as well as improving the overall soil health. For us, this was a key benefit to the wider Craignathro operation and a vital component of the sustainable element of this project. We couldn’t allow the Squires judgement to negatively impact the operation of the sheds and resolved the issue through careful collaboration with Craignathro Eggs, Angus Council, SEPA and James Findlay KC.

Our second major challenge for the site was the footprint of the development being located in the functional floodplain. The chosen location was a calculated but necessary design choice to balance the visual, operational, topographic and construction requirements and ultimately was the only viable location for the development. Working alongside Booth King Ltd., a flood risk assessment concluded that compensatory storage was required to facilitate the land raising required to form the shed platform. This involved the requirement to removing soil adjacent to the floodplain to create an area of additional space for floodwater. Working closely with both SEPA and the Angus Council Flood Authority, the scheme was designed and included within the consented plans to ensure no objection from either party.

As a Major Development, the planning application was required to be determined at the Angus Council Development Management Committee. Through our tireless efforts to address the Squires vs Shropshire judgement and expertise in Air Quality, Planning, Visual Impact, Ecology and Noise, the Case Officer recommended the application for approval by the Case Officer with no objections from Statutory Consultees.