Powys slurry pond described as open sewer is approved

The slurry pond will be built near a field where the National Eisteddfod is held

A slurry pond will be built close to a festival site, despite concerns it would be akin to an open sewer.

The application for earth banked slurry lagoon will be built at Newbridge Farm, Powys, near the field where the National Eisteddfod is held.

At Powys council's planning committee on Thursday, residents raised concerns that it would affect tourism and could pollute rivers.

Despite this, the application secured unanimous approval from councillors.

The lagoon would measure 88ft by 75ft (27m by 23m) and be 15ft (4.6m) deep and planning officers recommended giving the application conditional consent.

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It is also near to both the Banwy and Vyrnwy rivers and a field where Wales' largest cultural festival, the National Eisteddfod has been held, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mark Jones, who objected to the plans, said: "What is proposed will be a detriment to the tourist sector and will be of no use to us as we seek to periodically host the National Eisteddfod which brings 115,000 visitors to Maldwyn and the Meifod valley.

"The eisteddfod site is only 400 metres (1,300 ft) away from the proposed lagoon."

Christine Jones asked councillors if any of them would like to live near what is "actually an open sewer".

Rules state that farms need to have somewhere to store slurry for five months.

The applicant's agent Gary Owen said: "It's as good a site as we can find on the farm, there are difficulties as there are water courses and an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) we're in a flood plain and there are public footpaths.

"We're forced by the legislation to install it."