February 21, 2018
The South Burnett Regional Council has given development approvals to two piggeries so they can more than triple their production from 11,700 standard pig units (SPU) to 42,250 SPU.
The two properties are located at Hivesville and Windera and their owners plan to use some of their new production capacity to help meet the needs of Swickers’ Kingaroy Bacon Factory.
At Wednesday’s monthly meeting, Councillors unanimously approved an application by Peter and Lynda Bleys to upgrade their piggery at 330 Cridlands Road in Hivesville from 6500 SPU to 13,750 SPU in two stages.
The upgrade will see the Bleys’ farm eventually expand from 12 sheds to 22.
Officers reported the nearest potentially affected neighbour was one kilometre away and the existing road network would be able to handle the expansion.
Councillors were somewhat more cautious about the second application from Morning Hills Piggery on Morgans Road at Windera, which wants to expand from 5200 SPU to 28,500 SPU.
This is because vehicles entering or leaving the property would have to traverse a notorious dog-leg on Kratzmanns Road.
Councillors approved a two-stage development application that would see the piggery grow from 5200 SPU to 7376 SPU in the first stage, then fix the road, then undergo a second expansion to 28,500 SPU.
Both approvals were passed unanimously.
After the meeting, Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff said the Council will be applying for a grant for half the cost of straightening Kratzmanns Road.
If successful, this would halve the piggery’s roadwork costs.
