Concerns over piggery plan

Such opposition to the proposal has been growing that a community group was formed and a Facebook campaign set up to fight against the project.

The ‘Say No to Blantyre Farms in Harden’ group launched the Facebook page to drum up support and is encouraging people to lodge objections against the development application for the piggery currently before Harden Shire Council.

The plans for the piggery, revealed last month, suggest it would house up to 7400 pigs in its breeding section and 18,000 in its growing facility. 

There are also plans to build a methane digestion system on site to capture biogas produced from the site's main effluent dam.

In a statement, the group said it held significant concerns about both animal welfare and environmental issues at the proposed piggery, to be built on Eulie Road, south of Harden.

“In addition to the significant animal welfare issues, we have legitimate concerns about risks and impacts to the environment and the image of Harden shire,” the statement said. 

“The environment belongs to us all and we are entrusted with its protection for future generations, including changes to land use and our precious resources.” 

The facility would employ about 20 people and proponents said last month they would source locally-grown grain for pig feed. 

Neighbours of the proposed site have previously raised concerns about truck movements and odour. 

In the environmental impact statement for the project lodged with Harden Shire Council, Blantyre conceded the farm would emit odours, but said it has not had an odour complaint at its Young farm for five years. 

However, the ‘Say No to Blantyre Farms in Harden’ group has questioned that claim. 

“We would however question what is the distance of the nearest neighbours from the Young-based Golden Grove and Dead Horse Gully piggeries and how many odour-based complaints have been lodged by neighbours of other NSW piggeries,” the group said in its statement.