RESIDENTS have been driven to shut their windows and stay indoors due to the smell of a chicken farm.

Locals believe the smell coming from Tree Tops Poultry Farm has worsened since the construction of new poultry sheds.The owners are applying for retrospective planning permission for the sheds and have rebutted objectors' claims about the farm in Upton.

Humphrey Bartleet, of Stanks Lane, Upton, said: "My wife has had to close windows.

"[The smell] is getting into the bed clothing. We want to live in peace without the odour.

"This is a myth that it's a campaign of two or three people."

Mr Bartleet claimed that people are leaving their gardens to avoid the smell from the Gloucester Road farm, which has spread as far afield as Welland Road, Upton.

He acknowledged that the odour existed before the development but said it had got worse since the construction of the new buildings.

"We all got used to [the smell] every six to seven weeks when they had a clear out. It was a normal chicken farm odour. I'm not over-sensitive to anything like that," he added.

He spoke out at an Upton Town Council meeting on Tuesday, along with Howard Guest, aged 75, also of Stanks Lane, Upton, who said there are now 'noxious smells' emanating from the farm.

The resident has made 32 complaints about the odour to the Environment Agency, since February.

Adam Bishop, owner of the farm, said some of the complaints were 'malicious', adding that the objectors' campaign was based on 'misinformation'.

"We are aware of a campaign against our farm by a small minority in the community," he said.

"We have received many positive comments and kind words from other locals. Some said there's been an improvement in odour."

Mr Bishop said the farm has to modernise to be sustainable.

He was granted approval to build two new poultry sheds and replace four old ones in 2013.

But he now needs retrospective planning permission as he constructed two larger sheds instead of four replacements.

Chris Gurney, aged 67, of Stanks Lane, Upton, said: "I can assure Adam that I'm not making any complaints maliciously."

Mr Gurney, who has lived in the area for over 50 years, also added that the scent from the farm has got worse since the development.

Cllr Jonathan Prior, who sits on Earl's Croome parish council, described the objectors' views as 'long-winded' and called on the community to consider the application on the merit of the plans.

Upton Town Council voted in favour of the plans, which will now go to Malvern Hills District Council's planning committee.

Cllr Henrietta Ross said she has noticed the odour in Stanks Lane but could not smell it from her home, which is under a mile away.

She added that the constructed sheds have less capacity than originally planned and recommended approval for the application.