Over the past two and a-half years, Old Road Honey and Eggs has developed a poultry farm on a Henley Rd property.
It has gradually expanded — to meet the escalating demand for free-range eggs — to a current size of 1200 hens using six small sheds scattered across the property.
In the consent approval, the DCC said the applicant was not aware of the need for a consent before now. The applicant was now wanting to expand the operation by building a 50m x 13m barn to house 5500 free-range hens.
The non-notified application was for the existing and proposed poultry operation along with potential for expansion of up to 20,000 in the future. Only one staff member, beyond those who lived on the site, was proposed.
In addition to the hens, the farming operation is a sheep and beef farm run in conjunction with a nearby dairy farm.
The surrounding land is either forestry or land owned by the applicant’s family
The applicant had no complaints or issues from neighbours for the existing poultry operation, the consent approval said.
It was accepted the proposed activity was well separated from neighbours and the effects on the amenity of surrounding properties would be less than minor. Consent was granted with several conditions.
