![Aviagen will be setting up a 50,000 bird poultry farm in Wellington. Picture file. Aviagen will be setting up a 50,000 bird poultry farm in Wellington. Picture file.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37qTRiw9gHRe7AczHzCfjaK/e305a1f9-a2f8-4dbc-9420-ac474931d977.jpg/r0_0_2500_1539_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A $5 million, 50,000 bird poultry farm has been approved for Gladstone Road, Bodangora just 14 minutes from the Wellington CBD.
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This will be the fifth poultry farm developed in the area and is expected to create another 10 full time jobs for Wellington locals.
The proposed poultry farm was approved by Dubbo Regional Council [DRC] and will operate as part of the larger Aviagen business and other poultry farms operating in the area.
The development will comprise the following:
- Accommodate up to 50,000 birds
- 4 x tunnel-ventilated fully enclosed, climate controlled poultry sheds measuring 110m x 16.54m (1,819.4m) each; 14.2m x 11.6m (164.72m) packing and bedding shed with loading dock
- Amenities/office building
- 20m x 10m (200m) storage shed
- 2 x 500KL water tanks and associated infrastructure
- Dead bird Incinerator
- Stormwater retention basin and associated infrastructure
- 2 x sets of silos (four in each set)
- One (1) batch silo to service each poultry shed
- Surface water drainage and management system
- Extension of water and electricity infrastructure
- Back-up power generator
- LPG tanks
- Chemical storage
- Internal vehicular access driveway from Gladstone Road to the proposed site
Deputy mayor and Wellington resident Richard Ivey said the development of the poultry industry in the area had been very significant and was adding to the economic viability of the area.
"Aviagen are already fairly active in our community, they bought the old Wellington Hotel and are converting it into accommodation for their permanent workers," he said.
"They are being proactive in addressing the labour shortage and doing something about that by providing labour accommodation within the community."
Local residents shared their concerns by writing to the council about the odour associated with the incinerator.
In their submissions they said when the existing incinerators are used the homes to the north and west experience odour issues. As the proposed development is to be closer to where the locals reside, they had further concerns about the odour issues.
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Aviagen Australia has said they can purchase "clean air" incinerators that "double burn" to reduce the odour.
"'Dual chamber' systems operate by incinerating materials in a primary chamber and then incinerating the gases for a second time in a secondary combustion chamber. Resulting emissions from this system are cleaner and safer for the environment," they said.
The council requested that all dead animals be disposed of using this method.
To calm residents' fears about the potential smell from the incinerator, Dubbo Regional Council Director Development and Environment Stephen Wallace said the incinerator would be located in the centre of the block very closely associated with the actual development.
"They [Aviagen] have agreed to install a clean air incinerator...the intent of that is to ensure the smells are reduced and as I understand, that's an industry accepted method and it's certainly better than what's existing in other burners in the area," he said.
Concerns about the burning of plastic and green waste in the incinerator were also raised and Mr Wallace has said that is not permitted.
"That shouldn't be happening and won't be tolerated, so we've made that a condition of consent and we can enforce that," he said.
"The proponent has expressly stated that they will not be doing that and they'll be taking the waste away in skip bins that will be removed from the site."
Other concerns from residents were the number of animals at the existing four farms, but Aviagen Australia has said mature birds are never transported between farms.
"The one exception to this rule is, the genetic line imported through the Quarantine facility are approximately 12 weeks old when they get DAWR (Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment), clearance," they said.
"These birds have been hatched and reared in a strict quarantine environment and pose no biosecurity hazard."
The neighbouring farms contain less than 50,000 birds each, meaning there will be less than 250,000 birds that would trigger a limit.