This has been reported to Maldon District Council and now to the Environment Agency.

Here is the current position:-

• Mapledean are producing around 200,000 Chickens per annum via battery (intensive) farming methods.
• Maldon District Council's Environmental Office Melanie Francis has been refused entry to the sheds when the chickens are kept.
• Adam Clark of the Environment Agency will be visiting the site to investigate the issue.
• The residents of Thatchers Croft have written to the local councillors and village clerks asking them to bring this matter up in the next meetings.

Update February 2008

The owners of Mapledean (Hook 2 Sisters Limited) have contact the residents association and detailed the processes that take place in order to remove the waste from site. The companies head of waste management has told us that any animal carcasses should be removed from site immediately, and that it is not acceptable for them to sit in waste containers for days at a time.

We are pleased to note that the smell does seem to have lessened since Christmad, and that we accept that during the changeover days (when the chickens are removed for market) that there will be some smell on that day.

We will continue to monitor the situation and stay in dialog with Hook 2 Sister Limited, but are hopeful that the situation should now be improved.

View Larger Map