A FREE range egg production farm which caused a stink of controversy in a former guise has gained approval.

The planning committee voted unanimously to give permission to housing 32,000 chickens on a site east of Andover Road, Redenham in Kimpton.

The plan originally submitted in July last year had its sights set on land south of Hill Copse, Privet Lane, in Appleshaw, but faced strong opposition from the parish council and residents over the smell, traffic and environmental concerns.

But there has been not the same scale of concerns with the Kimpton proposal.

Agent Ian Pick said at the meeting: “We have had some problems with this application closer to Appleshaw, it attracted strong objection from residents around Appleshaw.

“We suggested moving to a different site, we recommended this site.

“We spoke to Kimpton Parish Council and we had a positive response from consultees.

“Now we have a planning application on this site and it has attracted some opposition but nothing like the previous proposals.”

The plan lays out two linked agricultural buildings for the hens, which would also contain egg packing and storage areas, and create a new access track to link to Andover Road.

Odour management is also addressed in the planning application, noting one dwelling within 400 metres of the site and that under Environment Agency guidelines, the amount of predicted odour is under the threshold.

Mr Pick also added the enterprise was welfare-friendly and in strong demand as his client, the applicant George Clark, is looking for new business avenues, aside from arable farming where agricultural subsidies will disappear after Brexit.