A “battery farm shanty town empire” housing dozens of chickens is causing anger in a community. The site, which is located on allotment land off Andrew Avenue in Ilkeston, is said to be "immune" to enforcement due to a historic lack of action for 20 years.
It has been described as a place that causes widespread disturbance and dismay for residents nearby, including issues around noise, odour and pests, according to Derbyshire Live. It was debated in an Erewash Borough Council meeting this week (May 31) where the owner, Mark Hill, had been hoping to see part-retrospective plans for two aviaries and a boundary fence approved.
Talk about the overall use of the site for breeding and selling birds, rabbits and show birds and the nature in which this was carried out and the impact on residents dominated the discussion. Councillors and officials were clear they would ideally like the site to have never been operating but found planning laws dictate that, because enforcement action has never been taken, the business must now be allowed to continue.
