Kendall Jennings, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

District residents met on a chilly Wednesday evening at the Koroop Hall to raise concerns for the Gannawarra Shire Council Planning Application P21147 to use and develop land for a rotational outdoor pig farm. The farm, located at 127 and 191 Orrs Road and 1399 Cohuna Koondrook Road, Gannawarra, will have up to 5,000 pigs.

Mayor Charlie Gillingham, Deputy Mayor Jane Ogden and Councillors Kelvin Burt, Travis Collier, Keith Link and Garner Smith were in attendance to listen to 20 people who had pre registered for the event. Councillor Ross Stanton declared a conflict of interest in the matter and has not been involved during any process. The meeting was overseen by an impartial facilitator. The applicant could not attend the meeting due to a sick family member and entered an apology.

Guests were permitted to make a five minute speech. Speeches were delivered courteously and were researched, with the main points being the close location to the Gunbower Creek, Ramsar listed Gunbower Island, wildlife corridor, Japanese encephalitis virus, environmental impacts, land prices, harm to tourism, and proximity to Koondrook.

The application for the outdoor piggery is being handled by LEAP, a livestock, environment and planning boutique consultancy firm. LEAP specialises in planning permit applications, environmental impact studies, environmental management plans and dealing with local and state governments.

The application has met provisions listed in the Gannawarra Planning Scheme and is earmarked for approval; however, the Gannawarra Shire Council, as of May 18, has received 46 written objections to the application.

If councillors approve the application, alteration of access to the Cohuna-Koondrook Road, being a road in a Transport Zone 2, will also be passed. And “the use and development of the site must be managed so that the amenity of the area is not detrimentally affected, through the:

a) Transport of materials, goods or commodities to or from the land;

b) Appearance of any building, works or materials;

c) Emission of noise, artificial light, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, vapour, steam, soot, ash, dust, wastewater, waste products, grit or oil;

d) Presence of vermin.”

With “all driveways and vehicle movement areas associated with the rotational outdoor pig farm must be constructed, drained and surfaced with an all-weather material and treated to prevent dust causing loss of amenity to the neighbourhood, or erosion, to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority.” There must also be no mud on roads. When approved, “the (site) plan will be endorsed and will then form part of the permit. The plan must include a 20 metre vegetation buffer around the perimeter of the site that will provide screening for all surrounding properties. The landscaping plan must consist of indigenous trees and shrubs and ensure an effective visual screen to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority.”

The application is in the advertising phase of the planning application process. The Gannawarra Shire Council Planning Application P21147 is tabled for the June Council meeting. Community feedback is welcomed until 5pm Tuesday, June 14.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 9 June 2022.