Chicken farm faces buy-out

Andrew Mathieson
A CHICKEN farmer blocking residential development at Armstrong Creek within a 1000-metre radius of his property will eventually receive a buy-out offer, according to a developer.
Mark Casey, whose company owns more than 70 per cent of the urban growth area’s east precinct, said a buy-out was inevitable so developers could have the farm’s buffer zone removed.
“That will happen in the next five to 10 years,” Mr Casey said.
“Someone will come along and do a deal with the chicken farmer. He’ll close his business down and we’ll turn that area into houses.
“That’s just a given.”
The Independent revealed last week that State Government had endorsed an independent panel’s recommendation to apply the buffer zone preventing residential building around the Balog family farm.
Owner Adrian Balog had feared that without the buffer he would have faced complaints about odours, noise and dust after new residents moved in nearby. He expected the complaint would have eventually forced him out of business, leaving him bankrupt after investing almost $5 million in the farm.
Mr Casey said he had already rejected a $7 million price tag for the Balog farm.
Developers had yet to buy out most of the land close to the property, he said.
“General market forces once the land gets rezoned will eventually make it financially viable for developers,” Mr Casey said.
“They’ll make more money out of the land than running chickens.”
Mr Casey said Armstrong Creek was earmarked for development since 1984, which was before the Balog family bought their land.
“Everyone knew development would eventually happen,” Mr Casey said.
He revealed he had bought out another chicken farmer to develop his Warralily estate.
“He probably got a superior price to maybe any other farmer because he had an ongoing concern and it was important to us that he was no longer in operation to be able to make Warralily a reality.”
Mr Casey said latest technology could reduce the impact of chicken farms on neighbours so buffer zones could be reduced to “closer to 500 metres”.
The State Government endorsed an independent panel recommendation this month that called for a 1000-metre buffer from residential development.