‘Putrid’ odours leading to court
Family considers legal action over feedlot
A FAMILY who say they have to put up with “putrid and unbearable” odours coming from a neighbouring feedlot plans to take the Toowoomba Regional Council to court after it approved a massive expansion.
Cr Chris Tait gave the deciding vote after the 10-member council was split 5-5 on the issue at a special meeting on Wednesday, approving Mort and Co’s proposal to nearly double the number of cattle at its Grassdale Feedlot outside Cecil Plains.
Planner Rodney O’Brien recommended the project be approved, which would increase the standard cattle units from 47,952 to 70,000.
But Creevey Russell Lawyers’ Cameron Hagan, who is representing the family, said they were prepared to take the council to the planning and environment court.
He said not enough conditions had been set to limit the increase in dust and odour, which was making the daily life hellish for the family.
“This decision by Council will have a lasting and significant impact not only for our client, but the wider community,” Mr Hagan said.
“It illustrates that Toowoomba Regional Council represents certain parts of the community more favourably than other parts of the community.
“Our client’s lifestyle is being impacted and it is our client who is suffering on a constant basis from the putrid odour which becomes unbearable during the afternoon and into the night when preparing and eating dinner and still lingering around during the breakfast meal.”
Toowoomba-based Mort and Co introduced the planning expansion in February, saying the proposal was worth $25 million to the region.