Hilltops Council has placed a development application for a new pig farm near Harden-Murrumburrah on public exhibition.
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The application, from Young and Harden based Blantyre Farms, was lodged with Hilltops on January 17, 2020, for a property approximately five kilometers to the south of Harden-Murrumburrah.
On April 6 Blantyre submitted additional information and as a result Hilltops Council now considers the application to contain sufficient information for public consultation purposes.
"Blantyre Farms is a family-owned and operated business which has been contributing to the southwest slopes economy for more than a century," Blantyre principal Edwina Beveridge said.
Ms Beveridge said the operation is seeking to expand its successful pig business at Eulie and is seeking planning approval from Hilltops Council.
"Over the last 2 1/2 years, Blantyre Farms has commissioned a series of rigorous environmental studies, engaged with many members of the community, and overhauled its proposal for the (Harden) site," she said.
The expanded operations are expected to inject more than $7.5 million annually into the local economy and create 25 full-time local jobs.
The Eulie proposal, if approved, would accommodate approximately 25,000 pigs, which includes sows and their offspring.
"The proposal incorporates leading-edge agricultural technology, including the capture of methane from pig manure to generate renewable power and a closed-loop approach to waste management," Ms Beveridge said.
"Utilising food waste will divert thousands of tonnes of potential waste from landfill.
"We are really excited to have the Development Application lodged with council, we have spent a long time ensuring the environmental studies included in the DA are comprehensive and thorough."
"COVID 19 has challenged us all, we are pleased that our business of producing pig has continued as normal, all staff have been retained.
"We are proud to be feeding Australians and providing regional jobs, that are more important now than ever," she said.
Public exhibition commenced on Thursday, April 16, 2020 to 5pm, Monday, May 18, 2020 during which time any member of the public may review the proposal and make a submission to Council for consideration.
During this period the Development Application and supporting documentation, including the environmental impact statement, can be viewed on Council's website: http://hilltops.nsw.gov.au/Services/Building,-Planning-and-Transport/http-dev-hilltops-nsw-gov-au/New-Development-Applications.aspx where further detail on 'how to make a submission' is available.
The application is to establish an intensive livestock operation, being a conventional indoor pig farm that will house up to 2,200 sows and their offspring.
The application proposes the establishment of a breeder site with five sheds, a grower site with sixteen sheds; associated ancillary infrastructure including farm buildings, office, tree removal and electricity generating works.
The proposal is considered to be a Designated and Integrated Development Application for the purposes of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
A full assessment of the application will be undertaken by Council as the consent authority.
The assessment will cover all relevant matters as outlined in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, including all environmental matters.
This assessment will be the basis of a future report to Council for their consideration.
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