A RURAL Processing Centre draft report has been approved by the Northern Midlands Council, detailing a facility in the area of Burlington and Powranna roads.
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The council approved the report, written by SGS Economics and Planning, despite containing details about the considered unsuitability of the location for heavy or dirty industry.
Officer comments from the agenda item report recommend the council commission further work to address the author's comments.
Approval for public display of the draft report was passed by councillors Dick Adams and Janet Lambert, including the potential for removing comments regarding the area's suitability for the industrial operation.
Councillors Ian Goninon and Mary Knowles moved to commission an analysis of suitable Northern Midlands sites at which heavy industry operations could be conducted.
Northern Midlands Mayor David Downie said the processing centre plan was a result of agricultural productivity spurred by private and public irrigation plans.
"Agriculture has quite an exciting future at the moment," Cr Downie said.
Tenders were issued for the report in May this year and three workshops regarding the development were conducted by the council in September.