Pavilion Farms submit plans to build $13m broiler farm in Anakie

It’ll cost $13m, house 450,000 chooks and bird droppings could be the key to running it all.

A broiler farm owned by Pavilion Farms which is the same as the proposed $13m farm in Anakie. Picture: Supplied

One of the country’s largest broiler farming operations has submitted plans to Geelong council to develop a $13m chicken farm that could also benefit from a world-first manure-powered biogas plant.

The application has been made by Michael Vukadinovic and David Gillet, the directors of Pavilion Farms 2 Pty Ltd, a major chicken farming company with farms in Anakie.

The proposed Ballan Rd broiler farm, which could house up to 450,000 chickens, would occupy approximately 6ha.

Mr Vukadinovic said the increased demand for productions of chickens was the primary driver behind the application to expand their operations in Anakie.

“The demand for the production of chickens in Australia keeps increasing as population increases and people eat more chickens,” he said.

“It’s seen as being a healthy food source, it’s also economical and the demand for chickens keeps increasing.

“Consumers are buying more chickens in the supermarkets, in takeaway shops, and we know there is more of a demand for chickens because we can’t keep up with demand with the current birds that are being grown”.

The proposed location for the broiler farm in Anakie. Picture: Supplied

The farm is also currently building what it says is a world-first biogas plant that will use broiler manure. The plant will be commissioned by March 2025.

“Once commissioned the plant will make Pavilion Farms the only commercial broiler farm in Australia to operate 100 per cent on a circular farming method where we will use our own renewable energy generated on our farm for all our power and heating needs,” Mr Vukadinovic said.

“Excess power of approximately 20,000MWh per annum will be supplied to our customers.

“The proposed new farm will supply about 4000 tonnes of waste manure into the biogas plant per annum.”

Pavilion Farms operates six existing farms in the Anakie area, raising about 12 million birds a year.

According to the planning application report, the risk assessment indicates that odour from the proposed expansion is low.

“Therefore, based on the assessment results, the proposed cluster farm is considered to not adversely impact the surrounding areas and be acceptable with regards to odour impact,” the document states.

If approved, construction of the farm would take place later this year or early next year over a six-month period.

The application is open for public comment until September 28.

Originally published as Pavilion Farms submit plans to build $13m broiler farm in Anakie