JUST last week, Cardigan resident Glenn Honeyman was sitting on his balcony, staring out towards Lake Burrumbeet and watching wedge-tailed eagles hunt for prey.
This was the lifestyle he and wife Debbie had dreamed about when they decided to build their home in a new estate in Cardigan Village last year.
"This is where we plan to retire," Mr Honeyman said.
But now Mr Honeyman is fearing his peaceful balcony setting will be ruined by heavy traffic and the smell emanating from a new saleyards and abbatoir to be constructed just down the road.
Mr Honeyman was angered to learn yesterday of Ballarat City Council's plans to shift the existing saleyards in Latrobe St to a site off Haddon-Windermere Rd, south of Cardigan Village.
"It was the first I'd heard of it," he said. "I'm certainly not happy about it. It is bad enough with the piggery the other direction. If the wind blows the wrong way, you can smell that, but this (new saleyards) will be a lot closer than that.
"We have a prevailing west wind out here so that smell will blow straight at us."
However, the proposed new saleyards would be located next to the Cardigan Waste Water Plant, which is currently protected from residential encroachment by a buffer.
Central Highlands Water executive manager business development Tony Wright said these buffers prevented issues such as odours affecting households.
"That's why locating these types of industries next to each other is the ideal way to do it," Mr Wright said.
The Honeymans moved into their new home last December, but have been long-time Cardigan residents.
"It is quiet and it is great for the kids because the roads are generally pretty quiet," he said.
Mr Honeyman said there would be a significant increase in traffic volume from trucks, which would travel along their road "day and night" if the new saleyards go ahead.
Cardigan Village Hall Committee president Robert Green said he received notification from council on Tuesday afternoon.
"We've been told there is a public meeting on Friday at 5.30pm. They've given us virtually no notice. It is also the Friday of a long weekend, so it's a bit rude really."
Learmonth Ward councillor Wayne Rigg said Friday night's meeting was "just the start of a long consultation process" with Cardigan residents.
"We haven't even formally put in the permit yet," Cr Rigg said. "We will be flagging it with the residents on Friday night and that will be the first opportunity to put the facts on the table and dispel the speculation."
Mr Green said the council had telephoned to book the Cardigan Village Hall on Monday, but not disclosed what the meeting was about.