A CONTROVERSIAL horticulture development for Mallala is one step closer to being confirmed, despite backlash from local residents.

Adelaide Plains Council’s assessment panel had rejected plans from company Agrisano Holdings to build a ten-greenhouse horticulture facility on a 77ha plot of land on Wasleys Road – around three kilometres from the Mallala township – in April.

In response, Agrisano challenged the Council Assessment Panel’s (CAP) decision in the Environmental, Resources and Development (ERD) Court, with the ensuing discussions resulting in altered plans being submitted for approval.

The updated plans were discussed at the CAP’s meeting last Wednesday, where committee members voted three-to-two in favour of supporting them as a compromise in the ERD Court battle after a nearly two-hour discussion.

A development approval provision is the council and Agrisano coming to terms on an infrastructure deal and land management agreement.

CAP member Ian O’Loan, who voted against the compromise, said an eventual approval of the project would allow companies to set up “large horticulture operations in the (Mallala) broad acre farming area”.

“I’m not comfortable with it, but I concede the only way to monitor this situation is to have an infrastructure agreement and a land management agreement with the applicant or any future owners of the operation – if it gets up – which protects the community,” he said.

“This will give us in the district more problems with the right to farm and continuing agricultural, broad acre farming activities.

The proposed development was met with backlash from nearby farmers, who were worried their agriculture operations could be affected by the large-scale horticulture centre.

Other reasons the proposal was initially knocked back include concerns over the unsealed roads surrounding the development and whether they could support heavy vehicles entering and exiting the development.

Stormwater runoff, and how it would affect surrounding farmers, also contributed to the initial plans’ rejection.

Adelaide Plains Council development and community manager David Roberts said Agrisano’s new plans provided solutions to these problems.

“The applicant has gone to some length to address those issues and they are noted with the additional plans they have provided,” he said.

“There has been some other discussions with the local community, as late as today, which raise some issues which may not be addressed in the report because they may or may not sit outside of the planning regime at this point in time.

“An issue has been raised in relation to fire safety and the impact of glare from the plastic covering to the glasshouses.”

The development was classed as a category one proposal, meaning there was no public consultation held before the CAP discussed the initial plans in April and the updated submission last week.