BID FOR $8M CHICKEN FARM AT ANAKIE:

CHICK, CHICK BOOM: Bid for $8.25 million chicken farm

A CHICKEN farm with the capability to produce up to 1.6 million chickens each year could soon be built in Anakie.

Pavilion Farms has submitted a planning application to the City of Greater Geelong to build six 168m-long broiler chicken sheds at a Ballan Rd property, with an estimate price tag of $8.25 million.

Planning documents show each shed will be able to hold 50,000 chickens, with the ability to raise more than five ‘batches’ of birds each year — with a potential total of 1.62 million chickens a year.

“It is proposed that the production cycle for the broiler operation will involve a growing period of approximately 7.0 weeks for each batch of birds,” planning documents note.

“Between batches there will be a period of approximately 17 days in which the sheds are cleaned, sanitised and preparations are made for the next batch.

“It is anticipated that there will be approximately 5.4 batches raised each year.”

The planning documents note common community concerns over chicken farming. “The meat chicken or broiler industry provides a highly efficient method of protein production and its products are increasingly popular with consumers,” the report reads. “It has however, been the subject of complaints from areas of the community regarding odour, amenity loss or other environmental problems.”

Planning documents for the project include a 56-page Environmental Management Plan, outlining control measures.

The 12 strategy areas include landscaping, facility standards, roads and traffic, feed, water and electricity supply, odour, noise, litter and chemicals, bird management and biosecurity, other environmental controls, contingency plans and community participation.

PLANNING DOCUMENTS SHOW EACH SHED WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD 50,000 CHICKENS, WITH THE ABILITY TO RAISE MORE THAN FIVE ‘BATCHES’ OF BIRDS EACH YEAR — WITH A POTENTIAL TOTAL OF 1.62 MILLION CHICKENS A YEAR.