AN animal breeding facility planned for Fosters Valley could be built alongside a known koala feeding habitat if plans now before Bathurst Regional Council are approved.
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Rockley Valley Park Pty Ltd plans to build an $841,000 breeding facility to supply dogs to a Kellyville pet store.
A statement of environmental effects [SoEE] lodged as part of the development application says it would include 15 kennels; a building containing 20 whelping (birthing) kennels; eight mating kennels; a grooming shed; and a number of dogs runs, outdoor fenced areas and dog socialisation areas.
The breeding facility would take up about two hectares of a 100 hectare site at the corner of Rockley Road and Black Mountain Road, about 21 kilometres south of Bathurst.
“The proposed facility seeks to raise well socialised puppies that have experienced love and care at the site and have been properly trained prior to the dogs being sold at the Kellyville Pets facility,” the SoEE states.
A key concern for the SoEE was the proposed site’s proximity to koala “feed trees” along the western boundary of the 100 hectare site.
However, the SoEE states the distance between the breeding facility and koala habitat meant no koalas were likely to be harmed by the dogs.
“Due to the fact that there are no trees in the vicinity of the dog breeding facility, there is no potential habitat for koalas,” it states.
“The only potential interaction between koalas and the land at the south-western part of the site where the proposed dog breeding facility is to be located would be if a koala was walking on the ground which can occur mostly by male koalas seeking new territories or in search of a female.”
The SoEE recommends “non-koala feed trees” be planted around the site and two perimeter fences will be built around the facility.
“The area of the proposed dog breeding facility does not contain any core koala habitat and no koalas have been identified on the site,” it states.
“However, koala sightings have been made in the vicinity of the subject site.
“The two perimeter fences will provide a physical barrier to the koalas from the dog kennels and the dense conifer hedge proposed along both Black Mountain Road frontage and Rockley Road frontage will also deter koalas.”
Special protocols will be put in place to be followed if a koala is seen in the area after the facility is built.