Campaigners have demanded that a controversial application for a 26,000-bird poultry farm in Murthly be postponed after NHS Tayside said it couldn’t review the plan due to the pandemic.
Around 200 objections have been lodged against the proposal by Aviagen with many citing public health concerns.
Residents are worried about the proximity of the farm to the local primary school and the effect of airborne pathogens on their children.
Some have pointed to studies carried out by Dutch universities which show that living within 1.15 kilometres of an industrial poultry unit (IPU) raises the risk of contracting pneumonia by 11%.
Despite the fears, NHS Tayside’s public health team say they will be unable to study the application after they were consulted by Perth and Kinross Council.
Karen Satterley, senior specialist nurse, apologised to the local authority, telling it: “Unfortunately we will not be able to review this application or submit comments due to the current demands on our service from Covid.”
Campaigners now want the application placed on hold until after the pandemic when NHS Tayside will have the opportunity to respond.
John Evans, chairman of Keep Murthly Beautiful and leader of campaign group Druids Park Community Company, said: “Given that one of the biggest concerns amongst residents is the public health issue, and the response of the NHS, it must surely be of the utmost importance that proceedings be put on hold until the resolution of the Covid crisis offers the NHS the opportunity to respond formally.
“How can a case that has already generated huge concern about a potential link between Covid and chickens, and that places a school less than half of the distance that published medical research suggests greatly increases the risk of pneumonias be permitted to move through the process without NHS comment?”
Perth and Kinross Council said the lack of response from NHS Tayside would have no effect on the application appearing before councillors.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Perth & Kinross Council is committed to an open and democratic planning system.
“It is anticipated the application will be presented to a future meeting of the planning and development management committee, where it will be for members of that committee to consider all relevant factors and determine the way forward.”
Aviagen has moved to allay residents’ health concerns since the plans were unveiled, saying: “We have been safely and successfully operating farms in Perthshire and wider Scotland for over 60 years and can reassure those who have raised concerns that this will be a state of the art, energy efficient farm designed for the purpose of rearing breeding birds, maximising their welfare and health and at the same time minimising the impact on the environment.”
