THE decision on whether to approve the 30.72ha grain storage facility in Allora sparked a lengthy debate during yesterday's council meeting, but they failed to make a final decision.

Instead it was deferred for up to three months.

Plans for the development, featuring four 37m wide, 350m long and 7.8m high bunkers, were opened for public comment in August last year.

A total of 102 residents made submissions - only three supported the application.

The facility will have the capacity to store a total of 140,000 tonnes of grain a year.

All of which will be transported via the train, which runs adjacent to the property, and trucks.

Councillors were not debating the economic boost the facility would provide to the Allora community, or the close to 30 issues raised by the 102 submitters.

They were concerned by two of the 50-plus conditions attached to the proposal - conditions 22 and 23.

Condition 22 relates to noise and states, that before any work can be done on the site an acoustic test must to be completed and approved by council officers.

Condition 23 focused on air quality tests meeting the standards of council officers.

Councillor Jo McNally said she was not comfortable approving a development that was subject to further reports.

"I would rather get the reports first and read through them before I made a decision," she said.

These concerns were echoed by all of the other councillors.

Councillor Neil Meiklejohn said approving the application subject to reports was not fair to the submitters and those affected by the development.

"It will shut the submitters out of the process and they would have no way of knowing if it had been approved," he said.

All councillors bar Jamie Mackenzie and Vic Pennisi voted to defer the decision for up to three months, while they waited for the developer to complete the necessary tests and reports be prepared for a final decision by councillors.