CORNWALL planners were given a round of applause by delighted villagers after they rejected plans for the erection of a 'factory farm' on the outskirts of Stoke Climsland.

Members of the East Area Sub Committee on Wednesday evening voted by nine to one to refuse the application by Mr Jamie Hatch of KB Products of Kelly Bray for permission to erect three poultry houses on land to the east of Crossways Bungalow in Stoke Climsland. The vote came in spite of a recommendation from planning officers that conditional approval should be granted.

The meeting heard that 1,150 letters and emails of objection had been received, along with 44 in support.

Simon Jones, on behalf of Stoke Climsland Parish Council, told the meeting the new units would see about a million birds a year passing through them and were on an 'industrial scale'.

In a letter to the committee on behalf of the Devon and Cornwall Police, a traffic officer wrote that the size of lorries expected to use the facility gave cause for concern for the safety of pedestrians and vehicles on the narrow roads serving the site.

Peter Whitehead, agent for KB Products, said that the number of vehicle movements generated would be 'modest' with an average of 2.6 a day. The site would be well screened and landscaping would take place.

Ward member Neil Burden told colleagues he had never, in more than 30 years as a councillor, received so many letters of objection to an application. The application was rejected on the grounds that the development was contrary to the provisions of the Local Plan.