Chooks versus homes

Andrew Mathieson
Armstrong Creek residents could have chickens for neighbours after removal of a traditional buffer requirement, according to concerned farmers.
Victorian Farmers Federation chicken meat group president Michael Shaw said he was concerned planners might have deliberately removed the buffer, requiring homes to stay 1000 metres from chicken farms to avoid noise, odours and dust.
The removal could leave Armstong Creek residents within 100 metres of the Balog family farm, on the Surf Coast Shire side of Mount Duneed Road.
Mr Shaw said the broiler farm would either fight developers for restoration of the buffer in an Armstrong Creek east precinct structure plan or demand they buy the property.
“In the short-term, we think the panel needs to maintain the 1000-metre buffer and, if subsequently the developers wish to come to the commercial settlement with the farmer to relocate them or something along those lines, that will be up to the developers,” he said.
The Balog family had owned the farm on the Connewarre site for more than two decades, he said.
Geelong’s council had told operator Bartter/Steggles the farm’s right to continue operating on the site would be protected under a broiler code.
But Mr Shaw said planners ignored the buffer removal until farmers made authorities aware during a State Government panel hearing.
“When it was re-drafted to go to this panel, unfortunately the buffer was removed from any of the maps or plans associated with it, so in fact the plans as it stands would allow residential sub-division up to 80 metres from the broiler farm,” he said.
“People don’t want a house next to a chook farm and obviously the broilers doesn’t want to be next to 55,000 people going into that area.”
Mr Shaw said previous instances of governments allowing residential development to encroach on traditional farming land had led to “conflicts and complaints”.
A City Hall spokesperson said an independent advisory committee was reviewing amendments for Armstrong Creek’s precinct structure plans to report back to the Planning Minister next month.
“It would be inappropriate for the City to make further comment in relation to the amendments now before the advisory committee until such time as approval is granted,” the spokesperson said.
A State Government spokesperson said the 2009 Victorian code for broiler farms specified buffer distances to separate farms and “sensitive uses” such as housing.