Plans for 4800 chicken farm spark fears in Eden Park

A dispute between Eden Park community members and a farmer hoping to build the area’s first poultry farm has been sparked by misinformation on social media, the farmer says.

A woman hoping to build Eden Park’s first poultry farm says widespread fear about the farm is the result of misinformation on social media.

Last week about 100 Eden Park residents told Whittlesea deputy mayor Tom Joseph about their concerns over plans for a 4800-hen poultry farm at 258 Fifth Avenue, Eden Park.

An application for the farm revealed the chickens would be either isa or hyline layers and would live at the farm from one day old to 72 weeks old.

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Fifty-two people signed a petition presented to Whittlesea Council requesting councillors not support the application.

Eden Park resident Diana Earp, who lives three doors up from the proposed site, said the community feared “the smell, the environmental impact and the noise” that would come from the 8.6ha poultry farm.

“If they approve this poultry farm, what’s to stop someone up the road setting up another one?” Ms Earp said.

The site of the proposed poultry farm.

But applicant Anna Pachioli told the Leader she was “surprised” by the backlash because she would not “impose” a situation that would cause noise, pollution or danger to neighbours.

Ms Pachioli said a letter circulating about the farm was falsely reporting the birds would be battery farmed.

The application for the farm showed four 9.2m by 15m sheds on wheels would house 1200 birds each.

The mobile chicken sheds would be built over the next two years and moved around the property every two weeks.

“There will be no more than 1500 birds per ha,” the application said.

“And will not be located within 100m of any sensitive buildings.”

Whittlesea councillors will consider the application and petition at a later date.

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