Scott Farming 2012 Ltd had sought land use consent from the Southland District Council for a four-barn 14460sq m complex about 6.5km south of Te Anau.
The company has reduced the size of the project to two barns in a revised proposal.
Southland District Council manager environmental planning Marcus Roy said a hearing on the matter had been set for September 29 but was postponed by Scott Farming Ltd while new information was produced.
He said a new hearing date had been set for December 9, and council had received 31 submissions on the resource consent.
Further changes to the application include moving the development site 200m to the southeast, changing the direction that the barns would face, new design plans for mounding and planting and provided more details on proposed earthworks.
The two barns, reduced from four, would have a collective size of 6900sq m including the space in between, still almost seven times the maximum allowed size of 1000sq m.
The proposed location of the wintering barns was changed to 200m towards the southeast, placing it in the existing quarry area of the farm.
The change would move the barns further from Fiordland National Park, Waiau River, and the closest northern dwellings.
In the original proposal the barns were to be facing north-south, but it is now proposed they face east-west, with the open ends facing the roads, which the company said would reduce visibility from public view.
New strategic planted landscaping and 3m high bunds would be constructed as part of the proposal.
Southland District Council resource management planner Alexandra Smith recommended the revised application be declined due to perceived environmental impact.
Ms Smith said in her report that particular consideration had been given to the effects the development would have visually on the landscape, but the adverse environmental effects were not proposed to be reduced as much as possible.
The positive effects of wintering cattle would not outweigh the anticipated adverse effects at the proposed Te Anau location, Ms Smith said.
Ms Smith said although the change in distance and orientation would be further from properties to the north, the development would be at a lower elevation, and therefore would still be visible after mitigation plans were implemented.
- Additional reporting Fiona Ellis
