Help us object to Fridays plans for another huge ‘free-range’ egg farm in Kent

Posted on the 8th January 2021

Fridays Ltd has submitted plans for another huge 'free-range' egg farm situated in Chainhurst, Kent. This could hold more than 190,000 hens across three 250m industrial-sized sheds. See how you can object to this development below, with our guide to making planning objections and an example letter.

Feather pecked and injured hens
Update: The application to erect a new, large-scale farm near the village of Hunton, Kent was rejected in March 2025. 
In November 2020, we visited a much smaller Fridays unit at Combwell Farm to expose the terrible conditions. The images taken show hens with extensive feather loss, injured birds and several dead and decomposing birds left among the living. Conditions were extremely dirty with heavy dust and faeces accumulating. How on Earth do they hope safeguard the health and welfare of hens at an operation three times larger? See details of our investigation here

We hope that you will once again join us in making your views heard, as we campaign for these new plans to be rejected by the Maidstone Borough Council.

The planning application for the proposed Wealden Woods ‘free-range’ farm development is now available to view and respond via the Maidstone Borough Council Planning Portal (https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/)

Planning Reference: 20/505751/EIFUL
Address: Reed Court Farm Hunton Road Marden Tonbridge Kent TN12 9SX
Proposal: Erection of a new free-range egg farm consisting of 3no. hen houses with extensive outdoor ranges and fencing, formal vehicle access from Hunton Road and associated parking, landscaping, woodland and tree planting, drainage and other associated works.

Objections and comments can be submitted by anyone who is concerned about a development, you do not need to live nearby. You can submit your response by:

Please note that despite our principal concern for the animals, welfare is not currently a consideration for planning decisions, so please use our guide to submitting a planning objection to help you to submit an effective objection. Please feel free to use our example letter to help you, but remember that an objection in your own words will be most effective.

Example Objection Letter

The local residents action group WeLoveChainhurst also have an objection kit: https://www.welovechainhurst.co.uk/object-now

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