Alleged Illegal Calf Burial Discovered at Polluting Intensive Dairy Farm Seeking to Expand

9 Mar

A dead calf buried in a shallow grave at the edge of a field at Market Drayton

A member of the public has uncovered alleged illegal activity at Willoughbridge Lodge Farm, Market Drayton, with multiple dead calves being buried on site instead of being collected, as required by law. [1] The farm is also the site of the controversial application for an intensive poultry unit.

The resident dairy farmer has already been ordered to pay £40,000 as a result of slurry pollution in January 2023, after being prosecuted by the Environment Agency. [2]

At the same time, residents are deeply concerned about an application for two poultry sheds, with a total capacity of 80,000 birds, to be built on the farm, citing the combination of environmental damage it would cause and the suffering the birds would face.
Residents called on Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council to reject the IPU application, which was approved on 9 October 2025, and then overturned on a judicial review brought by CAFF, with the quashing decision made final by the High Court on 20 January 2026. [3]
The latest application from the farm is for an additional slurry lagoon on top of the existing slurry tower and underground store for the hundreds of cows housed on site. The smells caused by the current slurry storage are having a severely negative impact on the quality of life for local residents, who are worried this will only get worse with the expansion, as there is no plan to remove the existing out-of-date slurry tower. [4]

Locals are also concerned that with an environmental permit for 350,000 birds, there is an intention to expand further. [5]

This is particularly unwelcome given the existing problems with the on-site dairy farm, which has caused significant environmental harm by illegally dumping slurry into a quarry. The farmer is also at risk of losing their Red Tractor Certification as they only have slurry store capacity for six weeks rather than the required five months, [6] leading to concerns about whether the excess slurry has been managed properly.

Cathy Whitehorne, a local resident, said of the plans:

“Us locals find the plans for tens of thousands of birds to be cruelly factory-farmed at Willoughbridge Farm very concerning. We are extremely worried about the emissions of ammonia and other greenhouse gases, the animal cruelty that will be inflicted, and the potential for pollution to harm our beautiful wildlife and the River Tern. We need Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council to stand up for our community and stop this madness. With illegal activities already uncovered on this site, who knows what else will happen if they expand.”

Maya Pardo, legal coordinator for Communities Against Factory Farming, said:

“With significant slurry pollution, dead calves in a shallow grave, and now an intensive chicken farm application, it is understandable why Willoughbridge Farm has caused residents such significant amounts of stress. I strongly advise Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council to listen to the locals and reject the planning application when it is considered again by the planning committee.
Factory farms are harmful to both local communities and national targets for emissions and food security. This proposal is estimated to process roughly half a million birds per year, yet according to the applicant will only create one full time job.”

Expansion of the dairy business

The intensive dairy farm business is also seeking to expand, according to the planning statement, leading to concerns about increased water abstraction.

There is no evidence that the intensive dairy farm has a water abstraction licence and with plans to expand to intensive poultry farming, serious concerns remain about the lack of water availability to support intensive farming operations.

The original outdated slurry tower was built before the farm was used for confined cows, when there were just 140 dairy cows grazing outside. Yet the tenant farmers intensified significantly to 400 dairy cows and 300 beef calves without the proper safeguards in place for managing the slurry. [7]

Strong opposition to the IPU

The application for an intensive poultry unit was approved at a planning committee meeting 9th October 2025 but overturned after the group Communities Against Factory Farming brought a judicial review in November 2025.[8]

Nearly 1,000 objections were submitted to the council over the plans for the poultry sheds set to house up to 80,000 birds. [9] One of the key concerns is the impact on local wildlife and water quality, and water availability. Yet despite strong opposition, the council still approved the application. Residents hope that it will be rejected by the council the next time it is considered at committee, or better, that the farmer will withdraw the application.

Dr Alison Caffyn, a rural researcher, spoke about chicken farming at Cardiff High Court earlier this year and said:

“There are now nearly 65 chickens for every person in Shropshire – and the council is allowing even more. We believe huge volumes of chicken muck are leaching into our rivers. They need to call a halt to it.”

ENDS

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