There have been interesting developments with no new applications in 2023 – and no approvals either – and there have been very welcome changes in NRW scrutiny of applications.

However, it remains to be seen how much control there will be over the negative impacts of all the existing units:

• ammonia emissions impacting on plant biodiversity and human health;

• nutrient excesses impacting soils and rivers.

After considerable public pressure, the Avara Foods Sustainable Poultry road map undertakes to export excess manure out of the River Wye catchment but we do not know exactly which or how many Wye catchment broiler IPUs operate under Avara contracts in Powys. There are a lot of free range egg units in Powys and half the county is in the River Severn catchment.

Meanwhile the Welsh Government has the 12 undecided poultry unit applications on its list of Planning Decisions Before the Welsh Ministers.

For a more detailed update see the Powys Intensive Poultry Units January 2024 page.