A PROPOSAL to convert a poultry shed into a workshop and construct a new chicken shed at the same farm sparked a heated debate for Monmouthshire planners.

The application for the change of use of Ty'r Pwll Farm's original egg production unit to become a workshop and commercial garage along with a separate application to build a new chicken housing unit at a different position within the farm complex was debated at last week's planning committee meeting.

Farm owner Hazel Hunt told the committee: "We've developed this farm at the Hardwick in Abergavenny over the past 25 years, but during this time we have faced an increasing amount of problems - from our diary herd being decimated by bovine tuberculosis to the latest issue over land ownership.

"The latest problem has meant we had to close our poultry unit due to loss of grazing which also meant we had to reduce our dairy cows by 20 percent.

"It's often forgotten that economy in the rural community can only be sustainable by profitable business.

"We are the only farming family still operating in this area as all the dwellings along this road have been built in the past 15 years along with an equine business.

"To enable us to retain our workforce we needed to relocate the poultry shed. We were also approached by Ken Jones, who had been made redundant from Whittal-Williams, who asked if he could make use of a spare building so that he could try to develop his own one-man business."

County Councillor Sarah Jones, ward member for Llanover, said she empathised with the applicant's attempts at diversification but reminded members that she had to represent the views of the local community and the concerns of local residents.

"This is a single lane without any passing points. The lane, I feel, is not adequate to cope with any extra traffic movements on it," she said.

"Other residents feel it's an overdevelopment of the site especially as it is in a special landscape area."

Llanover Community Councillor Ian Twaddle told members that the garage workshop had been in use for two years and members believed it was operating without permission and he added: "This area has increasingly become an industrial site over the past seven years. Residents are not against rural agricultural diversification in principle but running a motor repair business does not fit into this context."

Councillor Maureen Powell said: "Far be it from me to prevent rural diversification, but this is an inappropriate place to run this type of business."

However Councillor Debby Blakebrough added: "We come across this situation all the time and I can't see any obvious planning reasons why this application should be rejected."

Councillor Roger Harris said: "What concerns me about this application is that there is nothing from highways to indicate the levels of any increase in traffic movements along this narrow lane, which I know doesn't have passing places."

Councillor David Dovey agreed.

"I also have concerns over the lack of information over the road issue and without it we cannot readily debate this application," he said.

Andrew Beavan, an agent for a number of residents said: "The plans are inaccurate and it appears that it does not properly reflect the traffic movements along this road."

After tying at eight votes for and against the workshop scheme the committee's chairman Councillor Ruth Edwards made her casting vote to defer making a decision at this meeting to enable the highway's department to make their comments known.

However the application to build a new chicken housing unit for egg production was approved.