Toxic Truths: Exposing the Harm from Cherry Tree Farm

 

ELF has been helping objectors to respond to the ongoing issues around breaches of planning permission and retrospective planning applications submitted by Cranswick, a supermarket food supplier, for the Cherry Tree Farm site in Stow Bedon, Norfolk.

This is a case that came to ELF back in 2023, where our enquirer complained of unregulated air and ammonia pollution emanating from the farm, a Mega Pig Finishing Farm, which has been having a severe impact on her family’s health. There have been descriptions of respiratory issues, skin conditions, nose bleeds, headaches, extreme odour pollution and more.

There are also severe impacts on the environment and local protected sites due to the pollution, with the farm being in close proximity to several protected sites; Breckland Farm SSSI and Breckland Special Protection Area. There is a chalk stream close by, which is one of only 260 in the world. The area is also notable for its internationally important population of stone curlews.

Residents report hearing pigs screaming which is alarming and upsetting. Cranswick has recently suspended operations at one of its farms in Lincolnshire after footage emerged appearing to show workers abusing piglets.

With the help of Helen Hamilton and Nick Whitsun-Jones, ELF has been consistently pressing the Council to address severe legal failings with the retrospective applications and planning breaches. Thanks to ELF’s assistance, as well as the dogged tenacity and determination of our enquirer who has been directly dealing with the consequences of the pollution for years, the Council has now issued enforcement notices against the farm and have indicated they will refuse permission to the retrospective applications.

This is another successful community case for ELF against Cranswick, as we also assisted a local community in Mothwold, Norfolk to object to another Cranswick planning application that would have seen more than 714,000 chickens and 14,000 pigs housed at a megafarm but was refused.