A piggery previously refused approval in the former Harden Shire area will soon be a talking point in the twin towns and surrounds with a breeder and grower site back on the agenda according to page 39 of this week’s Hilltorps Business paper. The Development Application was lodged on January 17 and is currently under assessment by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment DPIE, Environment Protection Authority
EPA, Office of Environment and Heritage OEH, Transport for NSW TfNSW and Natural Resources Access Regulator NRAR.
2,200 sows are proposed at the property consisting of a breeder site with 16 sheds and associated ancillary infrastructure, farm buildings, office and tree removal and electricity generating works. Based off Eulie Road at Harden a previous proposal attracted over 5000 responses.
Mat and Bron Ryan told the Land newspaper in July 2017 ““For the last 18 months it has put a big drain on our lives. We didn’t want it because it was something that could ruin our business. We are not greenies, we are just farmers and it put our livelihood at risk.”
The McFadyen family were also against the project. Judy McFadyen told the Land, “We are very glad Hilltops Council inherited this complex and obviously contentious application. Their professional staff have, at all times, treated this application with integrity and procedural fairness.
“Our fear, had our previous local councillors been left to make the final decision was that it ‘was a done deal’ as stated by the proponent in a Chamber of Commerce meeting in March 2016. “What really worried us, when we invited previous councillors to visit our farm were words to the effect of, “Would it make any difference to the decision if I visited you?”, and “This is worrying as it’ll end up in court if there is opposition and it costs a fortune”.
