By JONATHON HOWARD
AN APPLICATION to construct an intensive poultry farm at Ridgewood west of Cooroy could be knocked back by Noosa councillors this week, as a petition against the application gained momentum and debate rages among residents.
It has been one of the most hotly debated topics in Cooroy for the past 12 months and one that has divided many residents.
The material change of use application was made for 136 Top Forestry Road, Ridgewood, to construct eight 100m x 16m sheds, which would each house around 35,000 broiler chickens or a total of 240,000.
The farm is currently producing avocados and wants to diversify current farm operations into the poultry industry to provide chickens to retailer Inghams Enterprises.
The application was submitted by Ridgewood farmer Dave Milligan to the Sunshine Coast Council in November 2013. However, the Sunshine Coast Council decided to defer consideration of the matter pending additional information such as traffic studies and impact to neighbouring residents.
The matter has since been raised again under the now Noosa Council, but early indications by council’s planning staff was to recommend refusal of the applicant due to five specific reasons including: impacts to neighbours, traffic issues, scenic impact, lack of sufficient separation from neighbours and the proposed poultry farm “does not comply with the overall outcomes of the Noosa Plan’s Mary River Catchment locality”.
A change.org petition has also attracted more than 430 signatures against the poultry farm, citing issues with the proposed site and impact to neighbouring properties.
The petition and website (cooroybroilerfarm.com) was started by Ridgewood resident Jessica Arnold, who wrote to the Noosa Council expressing her concerns.
Ms Arnold had been fighting the application since its inception.
“Please consider the interests of the vast majority of Cooroy residents who will have their lives serverely disrupted by this inappropriate development and reject the broiler farm application,” she wrote to Noosa Council.
Ms Arnold lives near the proposed site and said she had concerns for the run-off, smell and noise, but her biggest concern was the idea of packing chickens into a confined space.
“But above all else I love all animals and hate the idea of so many chickens being treated so harshly so close to where I live, and I work hard to save such animals who have been cruelly treated and the idea is heartbreaking,” she said.
Mr Milligan had previously told media sources the poultry farm would not subject the chickens to inhumane conditions nor would it use steroids or intensive use of antibiotics.
Mr Milligan has almost 40 years farming experience in cattle, mangoes and avocadoes.
Noosa councillors were expected to make a decision during their general committee meeting on Monday 22 September, followed by a final decision on Thursday 25 September.
