A proposal, currently being assessed by Singleton Council, to establish a feed mill at East Belford is causing angst among nearby residents who argue the development would be far better in an industrial area and not in their semi-rural community.
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The feed mill would be located on a 10 hectare property at the corner of the New England Highway and Pothana Lane (near the former Belford rest area).
Its proponent Pothana Pty Ltd plans to build a poultry feed mill and associated infrastructure on 1125sqm of the property, capable of producing 20,000 tonnes of feed annually.
In the development’s Statement of Environmental Effects, prepared by de Witt Consulting the mill will be operated 24 hours seven days a week due to the cheaper cost of energy after hours.
Truck movements to and from the facility will be confined, predominantly, to 7:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday.
According to the Statement the development predominantly complies with design provisions of Council’s Development Control Plan 2014 and provides for development of good quality agricultural land for agricultural purposes.
This opinion is not shared by neighboring residents who consider the development as being totally out of character for their community.
East Belford is home to six residents who live on 10ha properties plus seven houses on larger residential blocks.
It is also home to the renowned David Hooke Wines. The small community is sandwiched between the New England Highway and the main northern rail line.
“Many of us came to live here because it consists of bush blocks and it offers a wonderful semi-rural lifestyle,” said long term resident Kaye Hornery.
“A feed mill does not fit in this landscape and Singleton Council should reject the development proposal.
“It would be far better to build this facility in an industrial area or on a much large property where the neighbours are a considerable distance away not like here where we are close by.”
Mrs Hornery has been told by Council planning staff that the proposal may come before the next Council meeting in July.
She has made formal requests that Councillors come out and visit the site before making a decision but to date she has heard nothing back on that request.
“They need to look at the site and see our issues firsthand before they consider the development,” she said.
Singleton Councillors need to look at the East Belford site and see our issues firsthand before they consider and then vote on the feed mill development application
- Kaye Hornery
“Council cannot approve these types of developments in communities where people want to enjoy semi-rural lifestyles they are simply incompatible developments.”
Mrs Hornery has met with Council’s planning staff and she said they told her the development was allowable under current planning regulations.
“We are very concerned that this development will simply get the green light because of the zoning,” she said.
Among the residents major concerns are the truck movements to and from the facility.
“We have been told there will be six to eight B Doubles each day coming and leaving the feed mill,” said Sue Wheelhouse.
“But because our intersection, Belford Road and the New England Highway, is not designated as B Double compliant those trucks cannot turn right onto the highway they must always turn left when leaving the facility.
“That means they will probably have to do a U turn at Hermitage Road – well that’s going to be great for that road and associated tourist traffic.
“If the Hermitage Road intersection is where the trucks are able to turn right onto the highway then that creates its own headaches especially as Council have just finished their cycleway on the road.”
The residents say the Belford Road intersection with the highway poses way too many dangers as traffic is going past at 100km/hr which makes the exiting and entering of B Doubles trucks problematic.
“It would be an accident waiting to happen with these trucks entering and bringing the westbound traffic to a sudden halt,” said Mrs Wheelhouse.
Mrs Hornery said in her discussions with Mayor Sue Moore she had suggested the proponent would have to pay for changes to the intersection to improve access.
“But even if the proponent was made to install a merging lane we still have concerns with the truck movements as we have school children on the Belford Road waiting for and leaving their bus each day,” she said.
The residents other concerns relate to odour, dust and noise.
They want a full air quality assessment undertaken because the proponent’s statement does not cover the issue sufficiently.
“Given the amount of milling that will be taking place plus the loading and unloading of grains and milled product there has to be an increase in dust levels,” said Mrs Hornery.
“Then we have the odour from the facility and the noise.
“They want 24-hour seven-day-a-week consent to operate the mill.
“That would turn our community into an industrial site with lights, noises and smells all day everyday.”
The residents have done some research on the proponent who they believe gained consent for a similar feed mill facility through Lake Macquarie Council on a Dora Creek property.
However the residents say that facility has never been built and they are curious as to why this is the case.
Perhaps the new development’s location on the New England Highway the main route to the Port of Newcastle for grain trucks is the attraction of the new site.