A POULTRY house plan for 24,000 chickens is being recommended for approval despite objections from neighbours.

Planning officers have recommended to councillors to back plans for the buildings on Manor Farm, near Neasham, to the south-east Darlington.

The application will bring the number of birds on the land to 105,000, with three similar buildings already present.

Residents of a small hamlet of houses in the area, including a grade-II* listed manor building, have objected to the plans.

They had objected on a range of reasons. They included noise from the birds and wagons servicing the land, that the odour of the birds can be smelt up to a mile away, the development would harm the character of the area and the listed buildings, traffic, contamination and affect on people using the Teesdale Way.

Campaign to Protect Rural England also objected because of the proximity of the building to nearby homes and the Teesdale Way. A spokesman added it was led to believe the third poultry house would have been the final one.

Planning officers have recommended the plans be approved subject to a number of conditions.

A report to be put before next Wednesday's planning meeting said: "It is considered that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the character or appearance of the locality and in particular the Area of High Landscape Value within which it is situated."