At Wellington Shire Council's October meeting, local resident Nick Lee, speaking on behalf of neighbours, called for the application to be rejected. "The proximity to other farms and homes will have the following impacts: increased traffic movements and potential impacts on local road infrastructure, increased noise levels, odour and pollution of nearby residences, environmental and health concerns," he said. A petition with almost 700 signatures was presented to the council. The motion to reject the proposal was carried and referred to the general manager of development for future discussion. Council chief executive David Morcom said a decision on the application would likely not be made until next year.
The feedlot's proponent, farmer Angus Zilm, said the project presented an opportunity to introduce advanced cattle feeding technology in Gippsland, with a focus on animal welfare, efficient feeding and environmental management. "A substantial amount of technical investigation, investigation and design has gone into the application over the last two years," he said. We have been working with engineers and specialist agricultural and environmental consultants to the site, develop the proposal and prepare supporting reports.