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| Powys 'mega dairy' plan gets go ahead after public inquiry | Powys 'mega dairy' plan gets go ahead after public inquiry |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A farmer's plan to build a 1,000-cow dairy next to a village primary school has been approved following a public inquiry. | A farmer's plan to build a 1,000-cow dairy next to a village primary school has been approved following a public inquiry. |
| The Welsh government has confirmed that the dairy at Leighton near Welshpool has been approved by Planning Minister Carl Sargeant. | The Welsh government has confirmed that the dairy at Leighton near Welshpool has been approved by Planning Minister Carl Sargeant. |
| It made its decision after a public inquiry was held in March. | It made its decision after a public inquiry was held in March. |
| Fraser Jones, the farmer at Lower Leighton Farm, said he was delighted the application had been approved. | |
| Mr Jones said he had always felt he had a good case and that he put a strong proposal forward. | |
| The dairy plans includes three large buildings, a fodder storage unit, two slurry stores and a water storage tower. | |
| Villagers had said the dairy would be too close to their homes and the school, and objections had been raised about noise, the smell, flies, pollution, increased traffic, the size of the development and its visual impact. | |
| A local action group had been formed to oppose the development. | |
| Mr Jones's dairy proposal also attracted criticism from the National Trust which was concerned about the visual impact on nearby Powis Castle, while Compassion in World Farming had claimed Mr Jones's plans were factory farming. | |
| The farmer, who currently milks 300 cows, has said he had gone to great lengths to address concerns and has included measures to monitor flies, the smell and animal welfare in his proposals. | |
| The government inspector visited the planned dairy site in Leighton last March during the eight-day public inquiry. | |
| A target date of 24 July had been set for a decision about the application but it was not made until 31 October. |