MORE than 130,000 extra chickens are to be housed at a farm in Wix after plans were given the green light by planners.

HAB Poultry applied to Tendring Council for permission to build three extra 110-metre-long poultry buildings at Treestacks Farm in Oakley Road.

The farm currently has two poultry sheds, each housing 44,000 broiler chickens.

The additional buildings would bring the total number of birds to 220,000.

The application went before the council’s planning committee after being called in by ward councillor Michael Bush.

Ian Pick, planning agent for the applicant, said: “The existing site has been operating for 12 months.

“It is monitored and inspected by the Environment Agency and its environmental permit governs all emissions from the site – noise, odour and ammonia, how the waste is managed and drainage.

“This proposal seeks to expand the site with an additional three sheds.

“We produce chicken for UK supermarkets and the majority of this product ends up on the shelves in Morrisons."

Mr Pick said while the application for the first three sheds attracted 481 objections, the latest received just two objections – which he said demonstrated that the fears envisaged by residents haven’t materialised over the first year of operation.

Wix councillor Mr Bush objected to the expansion of the facility.

He said: “The poultry room process will be increased by 150 per cent – to 1.5millions chickens per year – with three additional chicken houses and six 8.5-metre-high feeding silos. It will sprawl across and blight the rural landscape.

“With bird flu outbreaks on the rise in Essex, in particular recently in Clacton, this increased capacity of 1.5 million birds will pose a risk to this community, the natural habitats and for residents who keep domestic poultry and pets within 3km of this site.”

Weeley councillor Peter Harris said he was "hugely impressed" by the way the existing sheds had been integrated into the local environment.

“Farming is a huge part of our local economy in Tendring, and I’m a huge supporter of our farming community and I would support endeavours such as this,” he said.

The plans were approved by the council's planning committee on Tuesday.