A SLURRY lagoon caused controversy at a meeting of Allerdale Borough Council’s development panel, despite being an essential upgrade for a family’s farm.

The Dixon family received planning approval with conditions for a slurry lagoon at Beech House in Hayton on Tuesday.

Dairy farms store slurry in either a lagoon or tank until it is ready to be applied to the land as fertiliser.

The planning panel were satisfied that steps would be taken to reduce odour and gases in the area.

The council’s case officer said: “The proposal seeks clearly to provide an alternative arrangement for the storage of slurry at an existing dairy farm so we feel that the proposal is well related to the existing farmstead, in principal the provision of additional facilities for the operational use of the existing farm accords with Local Plan policies S3 and S14 and the advice of the NPPF.”

The lagoon is needed because the current set up uses a tower which needs to be emptied on a regular basis. A lagoon would store up to 1,200,000 gallons of slurry for several months before needing to be emptied and spread with an umbilical cord system.

Potential for odours from the lagoon has caused some concerns amongst residents of Hayton. Christine Steele, who will live nearby, spoke at the meeting in opposition to the application.

She said: “In 2015 my husband and I were granted permission by Allerdale to convert an existing barn to the rear of our property into a single-storey dwelling including an extension. On completion we intend to move into this property, we would then be living approximately 72 metres from the proposed lagoon.

“Would you like this 72 metres from your backdoor?”

However, a floating cover will be used in the development and Environmental Health said they have no objections regarding the impact on neighbouring properties.

Applicant Michael Dixon said: “We’re a young family in the village. I have four children, two of which have just left school and are doing an apprenticeship at home.

“We do find it challenging on a day to day. There’s all sorts of objections thrown at us but we do try to be considerate as best we can. I hope that people will see that we are trying to do our best.”

Anthea Jones of Planning Branch Limited said: “In 2026 all other farms have to have capacity for the six months’ storage so this is going to come to all farmers that want to continue to farm.”