Public exhibition period for the Blantyre Farms DA for an intensive factory farm piggery has now clo

The third round public exhibition period for the Blantyre Farms DA for an intensive factory farm piggery has now closed. By our own estimates, we believe approximately 2,000 new objections have been lodged with Hilltops council. The total number of objections lodged with Hilltops council over three public exhibition periods, since February 2016, is now in excess of 4,500. We have also now collected over 31,300 petition signatures opposing the proposed Blantyre Farms development. THANK YOU to each and every individual, group and organsisation who has lodged an objection, signed our petition, liked our page, and shared our posts. We have been blessed with working with some amazing and talented advocates and volunteers over the past 12 months. We have also been well supported by a large number of loyal and passionate supporters on our page during this third round, and the earlier first and second rounds of the public exhibition periods. Your efforts, support, compassion and willingness to SAY NO is to be commended. We do not take this for granted and we are very grateful. Hilltops council will now be compiling a spreadsheet of all submissions received (for and against), and will forward copies of all these submissions to the relevant state government agencies for assessment and review. These agencies will, following their further review, then formally notify council in respect to whether these agencies will grant their respective General Terms of Approval. These agencies include - the Office of Environment and Heritage (Aboriginal heritage); Department of Primary Industries – Water (extraction of water); and the Environment Protection Authority (licensed premises for the purposes of waste disposal, including an assessment of odour impacts). Hilltops council will also by necessity need to undertake their own review and assessment before compiling a council report with recommendations. We anticipate the earliest this will occur would be the March 2017 council meeting, however that is just our opinion. We would confirm that the Say No team lodged two formal objections. The first addressed key issues regarding Animals, the Environment and People. The second included a focus on public interest, our Change Org petition numbers, selected signatory comments, and what has been exposed with the existing Blantyre Farms operation. During the interim period, we will continue to undertake important work in the background, will continue to raise awareness, publish any relevant updates or news, and will keep you all fully appraised of all developments. The Say No Team