By BEN CAMERON
PLANS to extend a Kooweerup worm farm have been rejected by Cardinia Shire Council due to the likely chance of increasing offensive odours.
Farm owner Hugh Brown had planned to install an extra two beds in his front yard which drew four objections on the grounds of smell and effect on residents’ lifestyles.
Council officers said the proposal was appropriate but required Mr Brown to install a 1.2 metre high fence.
Approximately 120 kilograms of worms are harvested and packed on the site each month.
The worms are fed with pig manure and packed with horse manure.
Port Ward councillor David Young said with three properties within 100 metres of the farm, he could not approve the application.
“The farm seems to be very well managed and run, but the problem is the site,” he said.
“If it had a little further distance from other residential properties I wouldn’t have a problem.”
Central Ward Cr George Blenkhorn said the fence would make little difference to offensive smells.
“It won’t stop the odours from fermenting pig manure,” he said.
“He gets pig manure delivered every 10 weeks – I bet the residents look forward to that like the plague.
“If we don’t put any more beds in, the smell won’t get any worse.”
Central Ward Cr Kate Lempriere had sympathy for the applicant.
“I really feel sorry for this poor bloke,” she said.
“When he started out he was obviously in a green wedge (zone) and thought he was pretty safe.
“(But) I can understand the residents’ abhorrence to having a nasty odour wafting forth from pig manure.”
