The agenda for tonight’s Wanneroo City Council meeting also said the Carabooda Road property, owned by Barry Cocking, could accommodate 205,385 chickens if the birds were not caged under the WA Code of Practice for Poultry.
At the May 21 briefing session, City business director Karen Caple said this month’s report on the application for an offensive trade included information requested by councillors at the April meeting, when they deferred a decision.
‘Of the eight sheds, two are used for rearing pullets (young chickens), one is used for caged eggs, one for packing and four for non-caged chickens,’ the report said.
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READ NOW‘The number of chickens currently on the property is around 150,000.’
The report said the owner was currently changing the packing shed to stock more chickens.
Councillor Dot Newton asked why council staff recommended approval when the buildings on the property were not the correct distance from the boundaries, sitting 20m from it instead of the recommended 100m.
Planning and sustainability director Len Kosova said the building approval was a separate matter to the licence
‘The licence that the health services team has recommended is altogether separate and independent of any planning recommendations,’ Mr Kosova said.
‘One does not and should not influence the other (however) the landowner does need both to operate lawfully on the property.’
The City’s health services co-ordinator, Wayne Harris, said health services officers generally did not take into account the setback requirements when considering licence applications. ‘There will be a separate report coming to council on the planning approval,’ he said.
In response to further questions from Cr Newton, Mr Harris said the applicant had carried out works required by the City following the initial odour complaint from a neighbour in early 2012.
‘The facility is a lot better,’ he said. ‘The manure is being housed in sheds, covered.’
According to the report, the sheds were built before the codes of practice came into effect, and the applicant also had the right to expand some of the existing sheds.
Cr Newton foreshadowed an alternative motion for the May 28 meeting.