MORE than 300 jobs could be created on the Darling Downs if local company FK Gardner and Sons' plan to build a new abattoir is approved.
The company has submitted a proposal to the Toowoomba Regional Council to build the $80 million facility at Charlton, 10 kilometres west of Toowoomba.
FKG group manager of property development Dallas Hunter said the service kill facility would have two shifts and operate seven days, processing 10,000 head.
"We've got arrangements in place with a partner and there is demand in the market for additional [beef-processing] capacity, so we are taking that opportunity," Mr Hunter said.
"It will take between four and six months to get it approved, so we're hopeful we might be able to start construction in the new year.
"We hope to see it completed in early 2017."
If approved, the fully enclosed facility would be built on FKG's 100-hectare industrial estate, and would have a footprint of about 8ha.
FKG would be the builder, part-owner and have engaged people to help with the design.
Mr Hunter said he was overwhelmed by the amount of inquiry in the facility and said it all came back to food security.
"Agriculture is not something new for us - we are the biggest farmers on the Darling Downs and this is a diversification of that."
Melody Labinsky
Journalist for Queensland Country Life at Toowoomba.
Journalist for Queensland Country Life at Toowoomba.
