BACON BOOM: Council approves two piggery expansions

TWO South Burnett piggeries are set to increase their drift numbers.

FILE PHOTO: South Burnett Regional Council has approved the expansion of two piggeries. Picture: Fallon Hudson

TWO South Burnett piggeries are set to increase their drift numbers.

The South Burnett Regional Council approved applications for the Bleys family and Wilson Pastoral Company.

The Bleys family property at 330 Cridlands Rd in Hivesville will grow from 12 sheds holding 6500 Standard Pig Units to 22 sheds holding 13,750 SPU.

The Wilson Pastoral Company project on Morgan Rd at Windera is much bigger.

It will grow from 5200 SPU to 28,500 SPU.

This will happen over three stages.

The council wanted to stagger the development to assess the impacts extra pig trucks would have on Kratzmanns Rd.

The first stage of the development will provide for 7376 SPU but anything above that will be delayed until the crossing at Windera Creek and sections of Kratzmanns Rd are improved.

At this point, the council and Wilson Pastoral Company will share the cost of the road works.

Councillor Terry Fleischfresser holds the planning portfolio and said the piggery extensions added to the long term viability of Swickers.

"This is another big tick of approval towards the pork industry in the South Burnett," he said.

"Developments like this really secure the plans that Swickers has for their complex.

"The people putting the money on the ground for the developments do a lot for the South Burnett in terms of employment in the form of farm hands and piggery attendants.

"It is a good development," Mr Fleischfresser said.