CAMPAIGNERS who have been fighting plans for a chicken farm that would house 80,000 birds are celebrating the withdrawal of the proposals.

Hundreds of people living in a string of villages have been battling against the development, which would see thousands of broiler chickens reared on land near Froghall bungalow, Naunton Road, Upton Snodsbury.

Now the Wychavon Parishes Action Group, including people from Upton Snodsbury, Cowsden, Naunton Beauchamp, North Piddle and Flyford Flavell, are celebrating their success, but they fear it may be shortlived if the applicant, Edward Davies and his agents, Ian Pick Associates, resubmit the plans.

Mike Rowe, of Naunton Beauchamp, has been involved in the campaign since it began in May and was among the group that handed in a 500-name petition against the plans to Wychavon District Council last month.

He said: “I was very pleased, absolutely. Hopefully it is a sign of the applicant recognising there is a strong community here. Initially people though it is not worth speaking up beause it will just get approved but everyone did speak up and it did make a difference.

“We will watch this space and see what happens next.

People are ready and willing to stand up against this type of farming.”

Alastair Findlay, co-chairman of the campaign group, who lives in Cowsden, said: “We are not sure what the future is going to hold now.

Our concerns are still there.

If the plans are re-submitted we will see what the applicant says and if we believe the issues are still there we will make our comments known.”

Ian Pick Associates, agents for applicant Edward Davies, whose address is given as Powys, Wales, made no official comment.