A CATTLE holding facility proposed for the outskirts of Townsville has been voted down by council despite their own experts recommending the development go ahead.
A development application to construct the facility at Oak Valley on corner of the Flinders Highway and Heath Road was put before Townsville City Council last year.
The initial application proposed an annual throughput of up to 100,000 head, with the holding yards having a capacity for up to 15,000 head across 18 pens at any one time.
This was later revised to allow for only 4500 head at a time across 11 pens.
But despite the application for the Material Change of Use for the land being assessed in accordance with council's Planning Act, Townsville City Councillors unanimously voted against last month.
This was after receiving 64 submissions about the project during the consultation period, with 63 against and just one in favour.
The objectors sited issues pertaining to water quality and quantity, odour, effluent holding pond, noise, dust, health impacts, environmental Impacts, traffic impacts and economic impacts.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the project had been refused by councillors as it conflicted with council's 'strategic framework.'
"The subject site cannot accommodate a development of the scale proposed as the land area is not large enough to mitigate the adverse impacts on the environment and adjoining community," Cr Hill said.
"The use should be located on larger rural land where the impacts can be better managed and larger buffer areas can be implemented.
"The technical reports submitted by the applicant in relation to water quality, water supply, stormwater quality, odour, noise and dust do not adequately address the impacts on the environment and the amenity impacts on the surrounding community.
"In particular, there will be significant impacts on the surrounding community in relation to noise, dust and odour as a consequence of the development. For these reasons, the development should be refused."
The site is situated about 17km from the Port of Townsville, and would have been purpose built to suit the needs of cattle set for live export.
The rejection of the Townsville facility comes after Charters Towers Regional Council invested in two major facilities in their region.
The Dalrymple Saleyards last year underwent a major refurbishment which will see the amount of cattle being held at the facility at any one time increase from 12,000 to 16,500 head.
The infrastructure works included the construction of four live export cattle holding yards.
Meanwhile, construction has now commenced on a new holding facility for the accumulation and preparation of cattle for live export at Reid River, between Charters Towers and Townsville after Charters Towers Regional Council granted approval for the development in September.
It will be completed in two stages and have an ultimate throughput of 200,000 head annually, with a holding capacity of 15,575 feeder cattle across 64 pens.