That of Caniga, on the outskirts of Sassari, is one of those events that illustrate how the mobilization of citizens can impact decisions that concern the territory.
The Regional Administrative Court of Sardinia has in fact confirmed the legitimacy of the stop imposed by the Municipality of Sassari on the opening of an intensive pig farm in the hamlet, rejecting the appeal presented by the entrepreneur.
A ruling that represents a victory for the local committee and for the residents who, since the autumn of 2025, had been fighting against the environmental and health impacts of the project.
What did the project involve?
The farm should have been built by reusing the disused structures of an old farm, in a rural area of Caniga, not far from homes. According to information that emerged during the case, the structure could have housed between 1,500 and approximately 2,000 pigs, concentrated in a shed of approximately 5,700 square metres.
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From the beginning, the project sparked numerous protests. Residents and associations have denounced the proximity to the houses, the possible problems related to odors, atmospheric emissions, the management of livestock waste and water consumption, which is particularly delicate in a province that has lived with periods of water rationing for years.
Among the critical issues highlighted are the lack of detailed information on the water needs of the farm, on the disposal of manure and on the risk of nitrate contamination.
The Municipality’s stop
In December 2025 the Municipality of Sassari suspended the authorization procedure after finding several deficiencies in the documentation presented by the company. In particular, according to the municipal administration, essential elements relating to atmospheric emissions, odor abatement systems and methods of managing the waste produced by the farm were missing.
A decision that had accepted the requests made by the citizen committee created to oppose the project.
The appeal to the TAR
The entrepreneur had therefore challenged the provision before the Sardinia Regional Administrative Court, arguing that the Municipality had exceeded its competences and that there was no public interest sufficient to justify the cancellation of the authorization process.
However, the administrative judges rejected the appeal, recognizing the correctness of the Municipality’s actions. According to the ruling, in fact, the administration acted in the public interest, recalling the need to protect the environment and air quality and noting the documentary deficiencies present in the project.
A decision which, for the citizens of Caniga, represents an important step: at least for now, intensive farming cannot be carried out in the conditions envisaged by the original project.
