No permit for broiler farm

By Paul Dunlop
YANNATHAN residents united last week to oppose plans for a broiler farm in the area.
More than 20 people objected to the development, with many more residents signing a petition to send a strong message to Cardinia Shire Council.
A large portion of the rural community’s residents also packed the public gallery at last Monday’s town planning meeting.
They applauded strongly when councillors voted 61 to refuse the application for a planning permit.
But although residents won their battle they still have a fight on their hands.
A spokesman for the developer said the proposal would definitely be headed for the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal.
Broiler farms have long been an issue of controversy in the Yannathan area.
The proposal before council last week was to develop land in South Yannathan Road for a fourshed broiler farm on what is currently grazing land for dairy cattle.
It is the second time the application has been to council. A previous proposal for a six broiler shed totalling 300,000 birds was disallowed last year by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The latest application was for an operation totalling 200,000 birds in a new location closer to the road.
Town planners told council that decisions of this nature were always difficult but advised that the proposal met the requirements of the Victorian Broiler Code and that other additional amendments had been made in response to the VCAT decision.
Council was told Melbourne Water had approved the issue of a permit subject to conditions, including setting the farm 750 millimetres above ground level to guard against potential flooding.
Emerald Ward councillor Graeme Legge said he believed the application should be approved.
Cr Legge said it complied with regulations and argued that permit conditions could adequately overcome objectors’ concerns.
Cr Legge acknowledged the issue was emotive but believed the development should be judged on merit. Cr Legge said the applicant had demonstrated the proposal met ‘best practice’ guidelines.
But Cr Doug Hamilton said the level of opposition to the proposal was a clear indication of community feeling.
The Port Ward councillor, who represents the Yannathan area, said the changed location of the proposed broiler farm would bring it closer to nearby landholders. He also believed flooding remained a clear and present danger.
Cr Hamilton backed objectors, saying their message should be heeded.
“In Pakenham, 22 objectors and a petition with 184 signatures may not be taken seriously but in the small rural community of Yannathan this is a community saying conclusively we don’t want this broiler farm in our back yard,” Cr Hamilton said.
The ability of the local roads to handle the extra traffic, noise and odour associated with the development were all raised as concerns by objectors.
Cr Hamilton acknowledged that the proposal had been altered from the original but said locals felt aggrieved that they had to once again put time and effort into objecting to an “unsuitable development”.
“Shifting these sheds from one side of the old Lang Lang river to the other is akin to shifting chairs on the Titanic,” Cr Hamilton said.
“I’ve seen bales of hay floating in paddocks on at least two occasions, water over a metre deep on local roads from summer rains. The proximity of these sheds to the river should not be allowed.”