BARELY three weeks after retiring, Geoff Fiechtner and wife Helen Grant have put plans to build their dream home in Allora on hold.

The couple is concerned the development of a cattle feedlot, proposed for a neighbouring property, could put them in a smelly situation.

They currently live in Clifton and had hoped to relocate to the property just off Warfield Rd, but Ms Grant said the effluent irrigation area proposed in the development application would be too close for comfort.

"We share a boundary with the proposed nightmare," she said.

"Geoff had heard about it at the cattle sale last Tuesday (February 21) and then saw the signs had gone up on the fence next door when he came back this way afterwards.

"He's a brickie and we were planning on building the house ourselves after Geoff retired.

"He's just retired two-and-half-weeks ago, and I've been waiting 16 years for this, so we're pretty devastated."

Ms Grant is not the only ratepayer close to the proposed development who has concerns for the feedlot that could hold 3500 head or more of beef cattle.

Leanne Doepel and Rosemary Easton both live near the planned construction site, and are similarly distressed by the possible impact of the facility.

Mrs Doepel said she was concerned increased traffic on the dirt section of Warfield Rd, which bordered both her property and the development site, would worsen the state of the road.

The current application - which is open for public consultation until March 14 - includes a proposed traffic route that avoids Warfield Rd.

"It's taken us a few days to get our head around it because we didn't know it was happening," Mrs Doepel said.

"We saw it went in the paper on February 22 and it wasn't until February 24 or 25 that we saw the signs go up.

"Because we have a gazetted road between us, (they) weren't obligated to notify us.

"Half of Warfield Rd is a dirt road and our roads are in a bad enough state as it is, and we don't know how much damage the trucks are going to cause to the area.

"We're worried that if the areas allocated for manure and effluent were flooded in heavy rain whether that would run off into (Dalrymple Creek)."

Mrs Doepel said the noise and dust created by increased traffic, the unloading of grain silos and a large herd of cattle was also a concern.

Mrs Easton, who lives on Eastons Rd with her husband Bill, said intensive rural industry would disturb the peaceful environment they had come to know and love as long-time residents.

"Aside from our concerns about water, Bill's been here for 70 years, I've been here for decades, and we don't want the ambience of the whole area to be destroyed by offensive odours," she said.

Planning portfolio councillor Neil Meiklejohn said council engineers would look more closely at conditions of the application once the consultation period had been closed.

He said semi-trailers could travel along Warfield Rd, though the applicants would have to lodge a separate application for B-double access if it were required.

"The application is not at the stage where council has looked at a lot of that detail (with conditions) yet," Cr Meiklejohn said.

"The state Department of Agriculture and Fisheries do the assessment of the licensing of the feedlot and the water allocation.

"The applicants are relying on an existing water licence.

"I have suggested the two ladies should make arrangements to speak with Lawrence Springborg to discuss those aspects of the application that are in state control under DAF."

Cr Meiklejohn said the application would be reviewed and likely come before the council in April.

He said while there were valid concerns surrounding water contamination and other issues, it was unlikely land value would be affected.

"I am aware that one of the people concerned with the development application has suggested (the feedlot) might have an impact on the value," Cr Meiklejohn said.

"I haven't seen any evidence that rural industries would impact on the land value.

"Under state legislation people would need to prove there is an impact, and that would require someone to engage a property valuer."

Ms Grant, Mrs Doepel and Mrs Easton plan to speak with Mr Springborg at Allora Library tomorrow.