A staggering 5000 people have expressed their concerns over a controversial piggery proposal in Harden – more than double the population of the town.
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The sheer number of submissions has raised questions over their legitimacy.
The third version of the Blantyre Farms’ $12 million development application (DA) will now be looked at by NSW government departments, including the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Department of Primary Industries, before being returned to the council.
Piggery proponent Edwina Beveridge said social media meant animal activists could deploy a large scale attack on a development application, which will create up to 70 full-time jobs, on a small town in the middle of NSW.
“I’m surprised there wasn’t a million submissions,” Mrs Beveridge said.
“Anyone from around the world could (enter a submission).
“There’s been a massive campaign against it.”
Mrs Beveridge said the government should update the rules to accommodate the advent of social media.
She now plays the waiting game to see if the DA will be approved, but said the matter could be taken to the Land and Environment Court if the plan is rejected.
Hilltops Council received more than 2300 public submissions in the third public exhibition alone.
Council general manager Anthony McMahon said in a statement the state government agencies had 21 days to respond to the thousands of submissions.
“We expect the agencies to provide advice to council in early February on whether they will issue general terms of approval or not,” Mr McMahon said.
“Council will then thoroughly assess the application with the March council meeting being the earliest possible date a report can be considered by the administrator.”
Fairfax Media tried to contact Mr McMahon to confirm whether the submissions came with addresses attached, but did not receive a response by deadline.
Staunch animal activist Lisa Ryan defended the number of submissions, saying those in favour of the proposal could have drummed up support in the same way.
“We’ve run a very intense campaign,” the “Say No To Blantyre Farms In Harden” Facebook group founder said.
“We’ve worked hard for 13 months.
Ms Ryan said it was important the council made the correct decision.
“When it comes to animal welfare, regardless of where they live they feel for animals the same way,” she said.
“Animal welfare has become centre stage at a political level.”
