A controversial chicken broiler farm near Maldon has been approved by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
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The tribunal has ordered permits be issued for 24 broiler sheds for up to 1.2 million chickens, despite a long campaign from local farmers and the Mount Alexander Shire Council against the project.
Objector and Maldon veterinarian Kim Molina, who lives right next door to the proposed Baringhup site, said she was “devastated” by VCAT’s decision, handed down on New Year’s Eve.
Ms Molina said she and her family would be directly impacted from the odour of the chicken sheds and it would impact her husband’s farming, as he will be working within 100 metres of the sheds.
“Our property is called ‘Mount View’, but now it is ‘Chook Shed View’,” she said.
“It’s devastating for the whole environment.”
Ms Molina said beyond her own family, she held concerns for the narrow road that could put motorists at risk if they had to negotiate a large truck.
Mount Alexander Shire Council echoed Ms Molina’s fears about the environmental impact from the chicken meat sheds.
In the VCAT decision, the council was concerned effluent dams risked contaminating Boundary Gully Creek and consequently the Loddon River.
But VCAT said that concern was not supported by a proper hydrological assessment.
There were 875 objections to the proposal at VCAT and Mount Alexander Shire Council had previously refused the permits.
Pavilion Partners director Michael Vukadinovic, who applied for the broiler farm permits, has been approached for comment.
Council is currently reviewing the decision.
Objectors are assessing whether they will take the matter to the Victorian Supreme Court.
Ms Molina said the process was a “flawed” one, where “Goliath the little bully boy won”.
“It is greatly in favour of big business. The more money you have, the better you can fight these things,” she said.