A candidate for this year’s council election says her community has not been adequately consulted about a proposed broiler farm near Axedale.
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Yvonne Wrigglesworth, who will run for the ward of Eppalock at the upcoming election and who is also president of Axedale Our Town Our Future, said even though an application for the $7 million-dollar farm on Axedale-Goornong Road was lodged with the City of Greater Bendigo last June, many residents were only just learning of the development.
While she conceded the council “have been sticking to the letter of the law” in its consideration of the project, she said more needed to be done so the local community was informed about the 300,000-bird broiler farm.
She said A4-sized planning permits displayed on roadside fencing were an insufficient way of notifying the public about the development, instead calling for a town hall meeting where plans could be presented to residents.
Ms Wrigglesworth is not alone in her concerns. Council spokesperson Prue Mansfield said at least five objections had been raised in response to the broiler farm applications, and a consultation with both parties would be organised.
She defended council’s process of advertising planning applications, saying it was both neutral and thorough.
On top of roadside signage, Ms Mansfield said residents within one kilometre of the site had also been notified.
But Ms Wrigglesworth was also concerned about an increase in traffic through Axedale, particularly at the intersection of Axedale-Goornong Road and the McIvor Highway.
I challenge anyone to come and have a look just how precarious the location is.
- Yvonne Wrigglesworth, candidate for Eppalock
She said the crossroad had seen a number of accidents in recent times and she feared for the safety of children who go to school or alight from buses in the area.
“You bring in the trucks, and that makes the the traffic quite a lot busier,” she said.
“I challenge anyone to come and have a look just how precarious the location is.”