Brookside Farm

How to Object to the Environmental Permit Application

• Copy the objection comments below.

• Click the ‘Object Now’ button below.

• Scroll down on the Environment Agency page and click ‘Share your views.’ 

• At Question 4, copy-paste the objection below.

Objection Comments

I urge the EA not to grant a permit.

• I am deeply concerned about the air pollution impacts on local wildlife and nearby SAC/SSSIs, and the impacts of odours, air pollution, and noise from machinery and traffic on site on people.

• There is no particulate matter assessment; PM2.5 can cause very serious health impacts on workers and residents, and should be assessed.

• Given that the applicant has demolished building and is building completely new buildings, the applicant must both apply for and obtain planning permission, and apply for a new permit (Reg 12 EPR) not simply a variation of permit (Reg 20 EPR).

• The lack of a robust public consultation via the planning process is deeply concerning to me. The applications must be twin tracked and I urge the EA not to grant the permit before the applicant has obtained planning permission.

• The applicant is subject to a planning enforcement notice by Breckland Council, the EA should not grant a permit while the enforcement investigation is ongoing.

• The old buildings contained asbestos; I am concerned about health and safety impacts of demolition.

• The applicant should be required to provide a full habitats regulations assessment as there are sensitive sites nearby, and the EA’s own screening identified the Ammonia process contribution as a % of critical load to be 16.1% for the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC, and 6.7% for the Breckland SAC. The nutrient nitrogen deposition PC as % Critical Load are 16.7% for the Norfolk Valley Fens SAC and 7% for the Breckland SAC.

• Factory farms cannot meet animal welfare standards and animals suffer severely on factory farms.

• The increased traffic, noise, machinery, odours, air pollution, and amenity impacts on nearby residents must be assessed and scrutinised by the public, via the democratic process of public consultation in the planning permission process before a permit is granted.

• Given the nationally significant impacts of factory farming, the lack of robust public consultation for the planning permission and the effort by the applicant to obtain a variation of permit rather than a new permit are especially concerning. Factory farming is a significant cause of greenhouse gas emissions, river pollution, and the degradation of protected habitats (SSSI/SAC/SPA), in addition to chronic health and public health concerns; all of these must be assessed by the LPA before an EA permit

Brookside Farm Poultry Unit, Watton Road, Great Hockham, Norfolk, NR17 1ER