George Weston Foods acquired Castlemaine Bacon and sought to relocate the meat processing facilities at Altona to Castlemaine. This required the construction of a new meat processing facility of 4000m2 (plant 3) and various additions and alteration to the existing salami plant (plant 2) at Castlemaine. New parking facilities for 350 vehicles and revision to the existing parking facilities was also required. This project was estimated to cost in excess of $150 million.

The approvals for the revision (internal alterations) and additions to the existing salami plant were completed via secondary consents to the various planning permits that had been issued over the past 20 years for this plant.

For Plant 3, a planning permit application was developed, whilst a Works Approval (EPA Act) was also sought. Planning approval and secondary consents were issued in early 2009.

Consultants involved in this project were:

• O’Brien Traffic - www.obrientraffic.com
• Wiley & Co  - (Building design and construction) – www.wiley.com.au
• Meat Eng  - (Internal processing facilities)
• Kevin Wiseman – (Civil engineering)
• Terry Bellair, Environmental Science Associates – (Works Approval)