2014-07-22 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                         22 JULY 2014


    Meat chickens are to be kept in smaller ‘mobile tractors’ which are located half way up
      the sides of the hills. The lifecycle of the meat chickens is approximately 8 weeks. The
      applicant indicates that the chickens provide intense fertilisation to pasture and weed
      control.
    Water for the chickens is to be sourced from the caravan’s own collection as well as
      the existing on-site dams.
    A controlled aerobic composting facility is proposed for dead birds (general mortality
      rate of 4%, equivalent to approximately 50 mostly younger and smaller birds).
    Details of the traffic impacts are outlined in the following table:

 Type of movement                 Type of vehicle                           Frequency
 Transport of eggs from site      Small Rigid Vehicle (SRV 6.4m long – 4t   Daily
                                  capacity)
 Transport meat chickens to and   Small Rigid Vehicle (SRV 6.4m long – 4t   2 per week
 from site                        capacity)
 Delivery of egg chickens         Medium Rigid Vehicle (MRV 8.8m long       2 per year
                                  – 8t capacity)
 Delivery of grain                Heavy Rigid Vehicle (HRV 12.5m long –     1 per 4 weeks
                                  12t capacity).

The applicant indicates that the chickens are intended to follow the rotation of cattle around
the property, to distribute manure straight on to the pasture, reduce weeds and cattle ticks.
The applicant also describes their intention is to have a higher cattle stocking density, by
improving pastures and managing the site using the concept of ‘techno grazing’. This refers
to dividing the farm into small cells and rotating the cattle to each of the cells.

As the proposed number of chickens is less than 1,000 birds, the application does not trigger
an application for an Environmentally Relevant Activity for poultry farming.

The Locality Plan and Proposal Plan are included as Attachments 1 & 2.

2.    SITE DETAILS
2.1. Background
There are no existing planning approvals over the site.

The applicant indicates that the property currently holds beef cattle at a rate of 2 cattle per
hectare (120 head). In the past, the applicant also describes how the property has been
used previously for the cultivation of beans and bananas on the northern facing slopes, as
well as dairy cows.
2.2. Site Description
The site is 60.7ha and bounded by Lawnville Road to the north and Belli Creek to the west.
The site is undulating with two prominent ridgelines extending west to east through the
property, which drain to a number of small intermittent waterways that form the headwaters
to the Six Mile Creek.

There is currently a detached house, associated farm sheds and the access driveway
located in the north eastern portion of the site, along Lawnville Road.
2.3. Surrounding Land Uses
The site is surrounded by smaller sized allotments (averaging approximately 5ha) which are
all zoned rural. None of the surrounding properties have approval for, or are being used for
an intensive agricultural pursuit. Rather, the neighbouring properties are being used as rural
residential home sites.


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