Trial permit likely

Press, 3 December 1982, Page 4

Trial permit likely

The Otakaro Land Trust, a communal living group, might be allowed to keep 72 head of poultry behind two of the five properties it owns in Peterborough Street, in an inner city neigboiirhood. However, strict Christchurch City Council hygiene conditions would be imposed under a six-month trial recommended yesterday by the council’s clean air and health committee. The trust runs more than 60 head of poultry on the properties. Consent is need ed to keep more than 24 head.

On two previous inspections, council health officers said that the poultry run was filthy. It would have to be cleaned up under the committee’s proposal. The run shelter, formerly used for range-run poultry, would be repaired under terms of the approval. The trust told the council in a letter that it appreciated the need to prevent the poultry run from becoming a nuisance to neighbours. Properties owned by the trust are between Manchester Street and Madras Street. Conditions include moving

the shelter weekly, and the removal and treatment of manure from beneath it. All food, especially household and vegetable rubbish, would be fed out in troughs or other containers instead of being scattered on the run. Cr Helen Garrett said the trust had had favourable treatment from the council in the past, and the onus was doubly on it to meet conditions “fully in line with council prescriptions.” The permit could be cancelled if neighbours complained about a nuisance. 1