2014-09-16 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 16 September 2014


The current proposal involves the construction of 8 x 100m to 130m long x 16m wide sheds
along the ridgeline of the site, with each shed containing 26,800 to 34,840 chickens. On this
basis, the site has the potential to carry in the order of 230,000 birds at any one time (this
equates to a stocking density of 16.75 birds/m2, with a maximum target mass density of
32kg/m2). The applicant indicates the process involves rearing day old chicks to chickens for
a period of 6-9 weeks, before being removed from the site for chicken meat production
(batch cycle). There are approximately 5.8 batch cycles per year. It is proposed to construct
the poultry growing sheds in two stages (stage 1 – Sheds 1 to 5; and stage 2 – Sheds 6 to
8). The current proposal plan is included as Attachment 2.

Deliveries of wood shavings, feed delivery, live bird pick up and removal of litter is carried
out throughout the batch cycle by Articulated Vehicles (AVs). The collection of live birds
occurs between weeks 5 – 8 and commences in the early hours of the morning (from
2:30am), when the birds are calm. A breakdown of the proposed vehicle movements per
batch cycle is included as Attachment 3.

Composting, stockpiling and spreading of poultry manure generated by the poultry sheds is
no longer proposed on site. An updated traffic assessment and odour, dust and noise
modelling of the development have been undertaken by the applicant’s consultants. The
likely odour impacts have been mapped and are included as Attachment 4.

3.    ASSESSMENT
The subject site is located in the Mary River Catchment locality and is zoned Rural. The
proposed use is identified as consistent within the zone and is required to follow an impact
assessable application process and must demonstrate that the selected site is suitable, and
the potential impacts can be appropriately managed. The pertinent issues arising out of the
assessment are discussed in terms of their relevant topic below.
Traffic

The applicant has provided a detailed breakdown of the proposed traffic movements
associated with the existing avocado orcharding and the proposed poultry farm. The
applicant describes that vehicle movements associated with the avocado orchard range from
2 to 14 movements per day, with a Large Rigid Vehicle operating every 4 days, during the 73
day picking season. The traffic movements associated with the poultry farm is described as
involving complex logistics to suit the requirements of Inghams, with little flexibility in the 63
day batch cycles. The applicant’s traffic numbers have been estimated with the assistance of
an experienced poultry grower and key contract managers for Inghams and are considered
to be a reasonably accurate representation of proposed traffic movements.

The most notable traffic impacts are associated with the poultry pick-up, which occur during
weeks 5-8 over 5 days, when Heavy Vehicles arrive and pick up the birds in the early
morning (from 2:30am). During these periods, the maximum number of Heavy Vehicle
movements per day is forecasted to be 26. The loading process takes in the order of 60
minutes per truck and is expected to occur over a 10 hour period. There are a total of 9 days
within the 63 day cycle, when Heavy Vehicle traffic volumes exceeds 10 movements
(average of 1 day per week). The total vehicles associated with the development for each
day of the batch cycle is demonstrated in the graph below.




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