Residents opposing plans for increased production at a poultry plant in Wrexham are being supported by their AM and MP.

Ken Skates and Susan Elan Jones recently met campaigners to discuss Maelor Foods’ plans to process a million chickens a week at its Cross Lanes plant, the site of the former First Milk factory, which have twice been rejected by Wrexham Council.

The company has now lodged an appeal in a bid to get the decision overturned, which will be heard at Wrexham Memorial Hall on Wednesday, March, 27.

Clwyd South AM Mr Skates said: “I have been contacted by a number of my constituents who are understandably concerned about plans to increase production at Maelor Foods.

“Along with Wrexham Council and many of my constituents I supported the establishment of the company at the Cross Lanes site after the closure of First Milk in 2014, when more than 200 local jobs were lost. But residents’ concerns over this application must be recognised and satisfactorily addressed.”

Mr Skates and Ms Jones both raised objections with Wrexham Council and have also written to the independent Planning Inspectorate for Wales, which will rule on the application.

Ms Jones said: “We completely understand residents’ concerns and support their arguments. We have made all the representations we can and done everything possible. Now it’s in the hands of the independent planning inspector.”

Residents fear traffic problems on the A525 and odours from the plant will get worse if the production limit more than doubles from the current maximum of 400,000 birds a week.

In early February, Wrexham Council’s planning committee turned down a renewed application by Maelor Foods to allow the company to process up to a million chickens a week.

Managing director Raj Mehta said the firm has gone to great lengths to address the issues raised during its application.

He said: “We have a formal agreement with highways officers for a comprehensive programme of road improvements including widening of the A525/Pickhill Lane junction should permission be granted.

“There will be substantially fewer vehicle movements than there were historically, and officers have not objected to our application.

“We acknowledge there were teething issues with odour control, but we have worked with industry specific consultants and experts to rectify this and made extensive improvements to our processes and equipment.

“The site is regularly monitored, and all complaints are logged and reported accordingly. Natural Resource Wales has fully investigated past complaints, whether substantiated or not, and is satisfied we are meeting our permit requirements.”