An illegal chicken farm in Cudgen that the court last year ordered to close down, but which has still been operating, will now be forcibly closed down by Tweed Shire Council.
The farmer, through legal representation, has asked the Council to extend an already protracted delay in removing the shed and around 4,000 chickens but yesterday Council voted to forcibly remove them.
Mayor Barry Longland estimates the cost of removal to be in the vicinity of $10,000, which will ultimately be borne by the landowner of the Cudgen Road property but Cr Longland couldn’t say when this might happen.
Cr Longland said Council had been encouraging the owner, who started the farm without consent, to try to legalise the operation in June last year but when that failed took action in the Land and Environment Court to cease it.
