A free-range egg production site with up to 32,000 hens has been given approval, despite residents' concerns over noise and smell.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee rubber-stamped plans for the site on farmland off Wrexham Road in Pulford when it met this week.

The facility will feature two linked buildings for the hens, with the development also including feed bins, underground dirty water tank, drainage pond, access track and upgraded road access - all spread across 73 acres.

But it had caused concern in the small village of Pulford.

A petition opposing the scheme with 144 names had been submitted along with more than 60 objections.

Poulton and Pulford Parish Council also raised fears relating to land and water contamination and flooding, air pollution, health and safety and noise pollution.

Concerns were also raised that it would be in the Green Belt, a protected zone designed to prevent over development in the countryside.

Officers had recommended approval, stating that the proposal would represent an appropriate form of development in the Green Belt, and that the proposed building, associated structures and access track were acceptable in principle.

But addressing the planning meeting, Neil Culkin, a chartered town planner, told members that it should be refused.

He said: "We have monitored the proposal from the outset on behalf of a large consortium of residents from Pulford. They are hugely concerned."

He claimed the hens would be able to wander around 90m from the nearest homes, not 300m as stated in the planning officer's report.

He added: "Strong planning reasons for refusal include close proximity to residential amenity, not to mention the potential for resultant noise, odour and flood risk impact."

But planning chiefs backed the scheme with 21 planning conditions attached, including one requiring the installation of air scrubbers – although the committee were told this could be removed on appeal.

Air scrubbers are used to reduce emissions of ammonia, odours, and particulate matter from livestock buildings.

Moving approval, committee member Cllr Tommy Blackmore said: "I believe it's in the right place, it's an agricultural business and it should be there."

The subsequent vote saw eight voting in favour and one committee member abstaining.