Prince Charles plans for herd to provide organic manure at Sandringham

Prince Charles is planning to have a huge organic cattle herd at Sandringham which could send farmyard smells wafting over the country home of Prince William. The Prince of Wales wants to introduce 500 beef cattle so their manure can be spread over fields where crops are grown on the Royal estate in Norfolk.  It is understood the move is part of his plan to make the estate fully organic by July. However, some local residents fear it will lead to an increase in unpleasant odours.  One of the proposed sites for a manure heap, though, is less than half a mile from Anmer Hall - the country estate of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  A villager said organic farming 'comes at a price for people who live downwind of a dung heap or next door to the fields where slurry is being sprayed around.  Prince Charles (pictured, April 2015) is planning to have a huge organic cattle herd at Sandringham which could send smells wafting over the country home of Prince William A site plan showing the position of the cattle sheds which will be the winter home for the 500-strong herd of organic cattle at Sandringham, providing thousands of tonnes of manure to be spread over fields, and potentially wafting farmyard smells over Prince William's home 'William and Kate are going to have to put up with the smell like everyone else.'   The estate has applied for planning consent to build a pair of giant cattle sheds for the herd, each measuring 315ft by 98ft with solar panels on the roof.   Five hundred cattle will live in the sheds between October and March, but will be grass-fed on pastures during the spring and summer.  Planning documents show that manure from the herd mixed with straw bedding will be stored in six heaps on surrounding land, each containing up to 400 tonnes.  The Cambridge family's Georgian mansion overlooks fields where muck will be spread in the spring and ploughed into the soil after crops are harvested in August.    Prince Charles plans to have an organic herd at Sandringham (pictured, Sandringham House) Plans for the cattle sheds which could cause a stink for Prince William and Kate Middleton A photograph showing the area where Prince Charles want to build cattle sheds Dirty water from the sheds and leachate from an associated 'silage clamp' store for winter feed will be spread on the fields between April and October.  King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council still has to decide whether or not to give consent for the proposed cattle sheds. Sandringham parish councillors say they 'support the principle of moving to more sustainable, organic, farming' and believe the cattle herd 'will be good for the local economy in enhancing employment opportunities for young, local, people.' But in a letter to the district council they added: 'We would want you to be satisfied that there will be no escape of obnoxious odours that will impact surrounding residents' enjoyments of their lives or impact their wellbeing.'  Plans for the cattle sheds which could cause a stink for Prince William and Kate Middleton A photograph showing the area where Prince Charles want to build cattle sheds RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next 'Proud' Prince Harry praises British public's response to... Queen cancels traditional birthday gun salutes for the first... Share this article Share Natural England warned that the herd could hit the 'air quality' of conservation areas such as Dersingham Bog, Roydon common and areas of the Norfolk coastline. But a study commissioned by the estate's agents found that ammonia waste produced by the cattle would have an 'inconsequential' affect on vegetation. Prince Charles took over the running of the 20,000 acre Sandringham estate when his father Prince Philip retired from public life in 2017. Half of the land is farmed by the estate while the rest is rented out to tenant farmers. It was revealed in January last year that the Prince of Wales, who is a well known supporter of traditional farming methods, had introduced an outdoor-lambing sheep flock as one of his first steps at Sandringham.  A site plan showing the position of the cattle sheds which will be the winter home for the 500-strong herd of organic cattle at Sandringham, providing thousands of tonnes of manure to be spread over fields, and potentially wafting farmyard smells over Prince William's home Plans for the cattle sheds which could cause a stink for Prince William and Kate Middleton A statement submitted with the planning application said: 'Sandringham Farms will be into fully organic arable and livestock production by July 2020.  'The introduction of an organic beef enterprise will provide valuable organic farm manure utilising straw from the combinable crops grown. 'It will also provide an additional enterprise which will boost the farms income, providing high quality sustainably and locally produced meat, which is pasture fed during the summer months and (on) grass silage during the winter.' A planning statement describes the cattle sheds which will be close to the Appleton water tower as 'a new enterprise' and 'a large investment by the estate.' It adds: 'The production of organically, grass-fed high-quality beef from local heritage breeds represents an enhancement of the heritage, Bis(HexaMethylene Triamine Penta (Methylene Phosphonic Acid)) - www.storeboard.com, cultural and environmental assets of West Norfolk.' Tory councillor Tony Bubb who represents the ward where the cattle sheds are planned said: 'You don't move to the country and not expect smells. Most people will be sympathetic to these plans... I can't see it being a problem for anybody.'  A Sandringham Estate spokesperson called the planning applications 'part of the Estate's ongoing conversion to organic farming'.  Advertisement