Pet food manufacturing plant has been approved in Rutherford

Maitland councillors unanimously approved the development on Gardiner Street despite concerns it could subject the community to another Rutherford stink.

Councillors Robert Aitchison and Loretta Baker recounted the last time the community endured years of a stink before the development application was put to a vote.

In 2012, Rutherford manufacturer Truegain was suspended from operating after a report identified it as the source of foul odours that had plagued the suburb for years.

Cr Baker said the stink was "nauseating, it was putrid" while Cr Aitchison said it was "very important that the people of Rutherford do not have to put up with the stink they had for years."

Cr Aitchison said odour testing results, submitted with the application, would be useful if a new odour was detected. Cr Baker hoped any new odour would "be acted on immediately" and "something done to stop it".

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Council's senior development planner Kristen Wells said a range of requirements had been put in place to prevent an odour issue. She said the air quality impact assessment recommendations would be included within the conditions of development consent.

The Diana Pet Food's development will cost $28.5 million and be built within five kilometres of residential land along the Main Northern Railway line in part of a subdivision council approved in January.

The plant will heat and process raw animal products and turn it into a liquid that is distributed to pet food manufacturers for them to use in their products.

It will produce up to 25,000 tonnes of liquid per year and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The building will include loading docks, a production area and a warehouse.

Councillor Bill Hackney welcomed the investment in the city, saying he thought "it's going to be important for jobs".

"It's great to see the processing plant will be coming to Maitland," he said.

A portion of the site, which is densely covered with spotted gum ironbark, will be set aside for vegetation retention.

Cr Aitchison said he had "grave concerns" for anything that was going to omit an odour.

He said the air quality impact assessment had recorded current odour levels and this would be useful if a new smell was detected in the suburb.

"I do note that we have done some very conclusive testing of the area and aromas at the moment," he said.

"We do have the numbers of what it is before they started.

"As soon as we start to get a slight whiff of something within the report there will be opportunities to take the company to task over it.

Ms Wells said a criteria of seven odour units per cubic metre had been adopted "due to the dispersed nature of the surrounding residential properties".

"This is also the generally accepted criteria for industrial/commercial areas," she said.

"The revised [air quality impact assessment] satisfactorily demonstrates that odour emissions will be within acceptable levels for sensitive land receptors. All recommendations out of the [assessment] will be replicated within conditions of consent."