A NEW turkey-rearing unit which houses 4,470 birds at a time may have to be pulled down after planners refused retrospective planning permission for the building close to some of the Forest’s major tourism attractions.

Hays Farms of Ross-on-Wye, which produces more than 25 million birds a year across the country, wanted to legalise the steel-framed building near Clearwell Caves, which it operates al- ongside two existing authorised units.

But the Forest Council’s planning committee rejected the scheme last week, in the latest stage of a long-running saga over the firm’s attempts to expand poultry production at Clearwell Farm.

A second retrospective application for a poultry house control room and plant room at the farm was passed, on condition that it could be called in for inspection by Natural England.

Residents have consistently opposed Hays’ proposals for more poultry breeding on the site, claiming the smell, pollution and traffic from the farm could “cause serious and irreversible damage to the tourist industry” of the village and its surroundings, which includes Clearwell Caves, Puzzlewood and the Secret Forest, alongside the Clearwell Castle wedding venue and award winning restaurants and pubs.

Chris McFarling told the planning committee: “I am speaking for residents and businesses. For years, they have objected to increasing industrialism in Clearwell Farm.

“They are right to do so. Nobody is supporting this application.

“The turkey shed is already built and operating without planning permission.”

Protestor Mary Condrad from Clearwell said Lesser Horseshoe bats lived in the caves which lay underneath the farm entrance, and it was unlawful to disturb their roosting and feeding site.

“More importantly, the Forest is now ringed with intensive farms and the council have recently declared a Climate Emergency with their stated aim of being carbon neutral by 2030,” she added.

Fellow villager Nikki Jones said: “It is too important to the wildlife, it is too important to the tourist industry because somebody has to make sure that this council adheres to their stated aim to be carbon neutral.”

Fears have also been raised over the 36 tonne HGVs that will make four trips a day over the ancient caves beneath the farm entrance, with Jonathan Wright, owner of the neighbouring Clearwell Caves, previously saying he feared the lorries could cause a collapse of the gateway’s underground roofs.

But planning officer Stephen Colegate told the committee Hydrock geotechnical consultants said there was a “negligible increase in stress from lorries” and there were “no current signs of deep collapse”.

Newland Parish Council claimed the turkey unit would damage tourism and employment, the natural landscape, subterranean geology and ecology, and cause pollution and HGV traffic.

Natural England also opposed the scheme on the grounds that it would “have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Site Special Area of Conservation” just yards away, and “damage or destroy the interest feature” of Bow and Ham Mines Site of Special Scientific Interest, while the Woodland Trust raised fears for neighbouring ancient woodland from ammonia and nitrogen releases.

A Newland Parish Council spokesperson said they expected Hays to appeal, but were ready for the battle. The Forest Council can also pursue enforcement action over the building, which could require the owners to demolish it.