Abattoir to expand

By Lachlan Ellis

A Bacchus Marsh abattoir has been approved for an expansion, which it applied for to allow the facility to run at full capacity under social distancing requirements.

Westside Meats’ application was heard at Council’s 16 February Development Assessment Committee (DAC), with the application proposing a new 1,300 sqm building to be built directly south of the existing building at 6 Woolpack Road.

Conditions on the permit require the buildings to be temporary, to allow for removal and for parts of the building to be relocated to Parwan.

Westside Meats is located on Woolpack Road and Main Street and the expansion was not designed with an increase in output or employee numbers in mind.

There were three speakers in favour of the application, including Joe Failli, who runs Westside Meats with his brothers Michael and Pietro.

Mr Failli objected to Condition 4 of Council’s recommendation, which said Westside Meats must move the proposed building to Parwan within five years, “unless otherwise agreed to by Council”.

“As you know, we’ve been trying to get out to Parwan for the last 16 years. We’ve had a long, drawn-out period trying to get up there…if you told me 16 years ago we’d be taking 16 years, I would’ve said you’ve got rocks in your head,” Mr Failli said.

“A five-year timeframe on trying to run a business, keep people employed, then also move an operation up there that would cost up to $90 million is a bit hard to take in regard to a timeframe. We’re definitely going up there, on the proviso we get our first stage of the protein plant and industrial park operating, and also start filling it up.”

Standing orders were suspended for a discussion of the application, following which Cr Edwards moved to amend the recommendation, with the removal of Condition 4.

The amended recommendation was moved by Cr Edwards and seconded by Cr Ward. Cr Tonia Dudzik dissented to the motion, beginning a debate.

“From my perspective, we’re allowing this building to be built…the usage is in line with what’s currently being used on-site. I think if it helps create jobs or maintain jobs within our Shire, that’s a good thing,” Cr Edwards said.

“I think we shouldn’t confuse the issue of this site being used versus us having a desire to grow the Parwan Precinct. Whilst I fully support the Parwan Precinct and I’d love the Faillis and the meatworks to move up there in the next 12 months, that’s a business decision, I don’t think it’s a planning decision.”

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https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-03-15/3

in the 15 March 2022 edition
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