Salmon farm judicial review challenge criticised by council leader

How Aquaculture Seafood Ltd's proposed 50-tank salmon farm could look.
-Credit: (Image: High Level Photography Ltd)


North East Lincolnshire Council's leader has criticised a legal proceedings attempt to stop a £120m onshore salmon farm at New Clee Sidings.

In November 2023, the council's planning committee approved Aquacultured Seafood's plans for the UK's first commercial-scale onshore salmon farm by seven votes to four. A lack of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was a key reason for hesitancy to support it from some councillors. An EIA was not deemed required for the application.

Animal rights group Animal Equality UK has challenged the plans through legal proceedings and, in September, was granted a judicial review of the approval. The review will at least put on hold the project's construction, if not potentially result in overturning the planning decision.

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Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson criticised the legal challenge at full council. In his leader's statement, Cllr Jackson described the review as "bad news" for the area. He said: "I'm very disappointed that Animal Equality have issued proceedings effectively putting a stop on development for the time being."

He said he and the council had an eye on "the wider benefits" of the scheme, such as jobs, skills, research, development, and the local economy. Cllr Jackson noted that 80 jobs are expected to be created with the onshore salmon farm.

Animal Equality UK's challenge is based on animal welfare not being taken as a material consideration when the planning decision was made. The animal rights charity was contacted for comment after the council leader's remarks.

Its executive director, Abigail Penny, said: "On-land fish mega-farm farms much like this one are already gaining a reputation for slim profit margins, serious financial struggles, and 'mass mortality events’, where tanks crammed full of fish die en masse due to failed equipment or worker error. Not only do these tragic effects cause tremendous animal suffering, they also risk the long-term viability of the farm and any jobs associated with it."

Ms Penny said disregarding animal welfare when granting planning approval was a "travesty", and added: "This is a completely new type of factory farming and, if constructed, would set a dangerous precedent across the UK and the world. It’s the committee’s duty to take its responsibilities seriously and leave no stone unturned."

Legal representative Edie Bowles, solicitor at Advocates For Animals, claimed there were "time and time again" legal issues associated with intensive fish farming, with "widespread non-compliance and fish suffering as a result".

"Despite this, animal welfare considerations were ignored in the planning decision, something our client argues was unlawful. Proper scrutiny must be given during all planning decisions, especially those that pose huge risks, including to animal welfare."

Before the judicial review, Animal Equality UK spoke in objection to the proposals at the planning committee meeting, and also tried to get Secretary of State intervention at the end of last year.