May 29, 2008
Australia

Council to control windfarms

Glen Innes will now have control guidelines for the development of wind farms in the Glen Innes Severn council area where council is the consent authority.

During last weeks Glen Innes Severn Council meeting Ashley Peake, on behalf of the Furracabad and Matheson Valley residents, expressed his support for council’s adoption of the development control plan for wind power generation. Mr Peake expressed his gratitude to council for their response to community concern, formulation of the DCP and adoption of appropriate amendments.

Council received 27 public submissions in response to the draft development control plan for wind power generation. Director of Development and Environmental Services Graham Price formulated the draft development plan at the request of Furracabad residents and during deliberation of an information report on a proposed Ben Lomond wind farm at the February Council meeting.

The draft development plan was presented to council at the March council meeting and placed on public exhibition from April 8 until May 6.

Twenty-six of the 27 submissions expressed support for the DCP with one expressing opposition to wind farms in general. The majority of submissions emphasised the importance of maintaining a 2km distance of proposed turbines from neighbouring residences.

While five requested an increase to either 2.5km or 3km. Council upheld the 2km distance outlined in the draft, as it was consistent with other Councils in NSW and wind farm developments overseas.

A number of amendments to the DCP were made at the suggestion of the public submissions. These pertain to specific more definitive wording in a number of areas, an included section under fauna impacts requiring post development monitoring. This section requires reports to be submitted to council for the life of the development, regarding fauna impacts, noise impact, traffic assessment and maintenance. An additional requirement was added to the section on bushfires. A bushfire threat assessment is to be provided to council with the lodgement of the development application. Council decided to adopt the amended DCP without further need for public consultation as the amendments were based on community consultation.

Council also added an additional amendment to section 1.7.1. The amended DCP has replaced the required Community enhancement program with a section 94 contributions. Under the Section 94 contributions the applicant must pay a levy of one percent of the value of the works to council. When formulating the draft DCP council were under the understanding that the section 94 contributions were not available.

The DCP comes into effect upon council’s notice inThe Examiner today.

By Naomi Davidson

Glen Innes Examiner

29 May 2008


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/05/29/council-to-control-windfarms/