Greyhound Racing NSW says it's undeterred after a planning panel refused a large-scale dog rehoming centre in the Hunter Valley.
The industry body purchased a 135-hectare former horse stud at Martindale to create a $30 million, "world-first farmstay" to retrain and rehome up to 400 retired race dogs at a time.
Project planning documents said the Bylong Park Farmstay was "central to the future of Greyhounds NSW and its plans to transform the culture of the greyhound racing industry".
The controversial industry has faced a suite of reforms to improve animal welfare, including bringing in post-racing traceability last year.
But the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel unanimously rejected the rehoming project.
It deemed the site unsuitable for the rehoming kennels, in part because the property can become "isolated for extended periods" during floods.
"The proposed development and associated construction would result in unacceptable impacts to the amenity of the surrounding residents and environment."
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) said the centre would have offered 24 full-time equivalent local jobs, as well as "excellent welfare benefits" for off-track greyhounds.
GRNSW CEO Rob Macaulay said the decision was disappointing but would not stop the project.
"If the regional planning panel doesn't think this is the right property then we will simply find the right property," Mr Macaulay said.
"There are several councils in the Central West who are banging down our door to encourage us to come there."
Data from the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission shows 1,321 dogs retired from racing in 2022.
GRNSW said that for dogs that were not quite "pet ready", it would offer "long-term rehabilitation and behavioural counselling" to help ex-racers "transition from the track to the couch".
Mr Macaulay said GRNSW remained committed to the highest possible welfare.
"We will now continue undeterred with the project in another region," he said.
'Wonderful', locals say
Residents of the small Martindale community raised concerns about noise, safety, biosecurity, and animal welfare.
"Last night on the phones there was a little bit of whooping and hollering," Martindale resident Trevor Woolley said.
"We've always said they just chose the wrong property.
"The last 10 kilometres of road leading to that development site is single-lane bitumen, there are blind corners, and they were going to double the amount of traffic on that road."
Ishbell Collins' family runs cattle at Martindale and said it was "wonderful news".
"This is a pristine valley and needs to be kept this way," she said.
