PLANS to lift restrictions on the operating hours of a poultry farm have been rejected because of concerns about the impact on nearby residents.

The owners of Talwrn Farm near Wrexham, which has the capacity to hold 32,000 birds, had submitted an application to allow deliveries and collections to take place 24 hours a day.

It was made despite a Welsh Government planning inspector imposing a condition that vehicles could only move on and off the site in Legacy between 7.30am and 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 2pm on Saturday.

Neighbours raised strong objections to the proposals because they felt it would disturb their sleep.

Their views were supported by members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee, who voted against the recommendation of officers in order to prevent the changes.

Speaking at a meeting at the town’s Guildhall, Ponciau councillor Paul Pemberton condemned the plans.

He said: “Where the entrance is, there’s a row of houses just opposite and it’s going to affect them horrendously.

“I’ve had several complaints off residents during the summer and you can verify that with Stephen Griffiths, the enforcement officer.

“This is a large commercial enterprise in a very, very rural area.

“It’s there and we’ve got to accept it but I think these conditions were put on for a reason.”

Plans for the first egg laying barn at the farm were originally refused by Wrexham Council, but granted on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate in 2015 with conditions imposed on delivery hours.

Last year proposals for an additional barn to house 15,700 birds were given the green light by the authority’s planning committee.

The latest application to remove delivery restrictions was recommended for approval as it was claimed it would reduce the amount of stress on the birds.

However, council leader Mark Pritchard also put his weight behind refusing the alterations.

He said: “I’m very surprised and quite shocked and saddened to be sitting here this evening to have to come back to discuss another planning application on a variation of a condition on this site.

“I think it’s unacceptable, unfair and morally wrong, but you don’t make judgements on morals, you make them on planning issues.

“I hope that the planning committee here this evening refuses it on residential amenity.

“I challenge any of you in this meeting this evening, would you like it if you were living next door to this?”

Councillors voted unanimously not to allow the lifting of the restrictions.