Mr Gourlay has been forced to seek retrospective planning permission for keeping hundreds of the animals in the outbuilding on land at Upper Ingleston.
This is because rearing/feeding pigs there is breaking planning regulations, despite the fact that cattle had been kept at the same location for many years.
An application has now been submitted to Dumfries and Galloway Council for retrospective planning permission, however seven nearby residents and Glencairn Community Council have lodged objections.
The community council has complained, saying: “The disruption caused to residents by the smell, noise and effluent run-off is unacceptable. The smell also reaches the village of Moniaive in some weather conditions.”
However, one letter of support received from an address in Kirkgate, Dunscore, argued permission would support local employment, the pigs would be well cared for, and that every effort would be made to minimise disturbance.
The shed has been on the site for around 30 years and measures 37.5m length by 26m width by 6.2m to the top of ridge height.
It can reportedly hold a maximum of 794 pigs, however the numbers are usually less than this.
The request for retrospective planning permission will be decided by councillors sitting on the planning committee next Wednesday.
Planning officers have recommended refusal, arguing that the pig shed is too close to nearby buildings.
In a report produced for the meeting, planning officer Lindsey Little wrote: “It is noted that the applicant is proposing taking or has taken some measures set out above to mitigate against the issues of smell and noise.
“It is also recognised that the building involved is an existing, long-standing agricultural building previously used for housing cattle, which would have caused some negative impact on the nearby residential amenity.
“However, when taking the objections from the council’s environmental health officer, Glencairn Community Council and nearby residents – one of which is very near the site at only approximately 50 metres away – into account, on balance, it is considered that the housing of pigs on the site would result in an unacceptable increase in the negative impact subsequent odours would have on the residential amenity of the nearby properties.”
