DYMOCK residents have won their battle to prevent a Halal slaughterhouse being opened in the village.

The Forest of Dean District Council Planning Committee has thrown out an application by Mr Mohammed Jaffer to open an abattoir at Green Hill Farm on the site of existing poultry sheds.

In doing so they went against the advice of their planning officers who had recommended the plan for approval.

Seven councillors out of nine rejected the application on the grounds that, as it was outside the village boundary, the site had not been allocated for industrial use and it would create unacceptable environmental issues such as odour.

Placard-carrying villagers picketed the council offices before the meeting and applauded the councillors’ decision.

More than 880 people signed a petition and 90 sent letters to complain that noise and smells from the abattoir would ruin their neighbourhood.

Cllr Terry Ball, Chairman of Dymock Parish Council had threatened to bring a charge of maladministration against the council over its handling of the application if it were approved.

He said the charge could still stand if Mr Jaffer mounted a successful appeal against the refusal.

“Obviously we were delighted by the committee’s decision and unless there is an appeal that will be the end of it,” he said.

“I have not met one resident who did not oppose the scheme. Nearly 900 people signed the petition and there are only 1,000 people in the village.”

The Environment Agency has also complained about the council’s handling of the application.

In a curt email to the council last week agency planning specialist Ruth Clare said she had not been given the required 21 says to comment on the application.

She wrote: “Further to our conversation earlier, please find attached our response to the above application.

“I would highlight that this is an objection at this stage as we consider more information is required.

“I trust that this will be taken into consideration in today’s committee.

“As discussed (and I have made this clear in our letter),our statutory deadline for this consultation is today (21 days from receipt), and this is the first time we have been consulted on the application.

“As such we are very surprised to learn that it is going to committee today.

“I would ask that you please report the relevant timescales at committee as I would not want people to get the impression that the Environment Agency has responded late to this application as that is not the case.”