AN egg farm with thousands of chickens will be based in the north Essex countryside, despite concerns about public health.

Great Horkesley residents fear pollution from the farm could contaminate a reservoir, which provides drinking water for 70,000 people.

Colchester Council said it had to rely on experts from Anglian Water who believed there was no significant risk. The water company said there would be an increased amount of pathogens - germs - in the air.

It added: "The treatment processes employed on the site are sufficiently robust that there will be no adverse impact on treated water quality as a result of this development."

The council decided an environmental impact assessment was not necessary. Planning committee members gave the farm the go-ahead with conditions.

An 18.2m by 67.1m building will house 9,000 free range chickens at Cherry Tree Farm in London Road. It is about 146m from the boundary of Anglian Water's treatment works.

Peter Chillingworth (Con, Great Tey) said that by 2012, under an EU directive, all battery house eggs will be banned and all egg production will be carried on in units similar to those at the farm or much larger, or bird houses with a barn where they have free range chickens inside the building, but do not let them out.