'It has no social license': Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral's Loomberah feedlot approval divides community, Tamworth Regional councillors

A packed public gallery of concerned neighbours pleaded with Tamworth Regional Council to reject Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral Company's development application for the feedlot at Loomberah, claiming it has "no social license".

The feedlot, at "Lloma" on Pendene Road, was approved five votes to three on Tuesday night, subject to 38 conditions aimed at mitigating risks associated with operational and environmental management, noise management, visual impact, water supply and traffic management.

Loomberah landholder, Rebecca Brady, said it's been a long, stressful and drawn out process for all involved over the past 18 months.

"The feedlot is right next to the boundary of our property at Loomberah. We can clearly see the infrastructure of the current feedlot," she told the meeting.

"The location means that if this DA is approved, the buffer zone will consume a considerable area of our property."

She said odour is the top concern for residents who needed to have confidence any amenity impacts can be managed.

"I ask, how can we, the residents of Loomberah, or the council monitor harmful impacts ... nobody should be forced to become the buffer zone for somebody else's development," she said.

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Loomberah farmers Matthew and Jess Pittman said there had been no consultation from the applicant or a representative on their behalf to discuss the impacts the proposed feedlot will have on the community.

"Odour is acknowledged to be a highly significant impact. We have proved that cold air drainage does occur in our valley, and everyone will agree that a feedlot will come with odour," Mrs Pittman said.

"TRC's number one focus is water security, pollution of surface and groundwater has still not been sufficiently addressed.

"Rainfall events are unpredictable, and having the feedlot situated over fractured rock will lead to leeching and contamination. Why is the council not working hard to protect our water?"

Tamworth mayor Russell Webb told the Leader councillors were caught between a rock and a hard place, with the threat of a costly appeal to the NSW Land and Environment Court looming.

"The right was decision was landed at. Three councillors did vote against it, and yes they did say there was no social license. But in real terms, the legislation doesn't really allow for that," he said.

"The council, in a nutshell, didn't have much choice but to approve that particular development."

He said councillors had "agonised" over the reports that had been presented to them, and "many of them were very uncomfortable about where they sat but made a decision based on what they thought was going to be the better outcome for the wider community".

The developer, Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral Company's Tony Haggarty, told the Leader he will start working through council's conditions straight away, but didn't expect operations to begin until later this year.

"There's an operating management plan that has to be prepared and given to council and they've got to approve it, so the timeline is not all within my control," he said.

"But we'll get on with it now and move it forward, and hopefully we'll be able to start operating this year."

The lack of community consultation was an issue raised by councillors and the Loomberah community, and now Mr Haggarty said it was something he would take onboard.

"I'm happy to talk to anybody about it ... I haven't had a single enquiry," he said.

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