March 30, 2011
Australia

Council to air wind farm planning worries

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 30 March 2011

The Moyne Council will write to Planning Minister Matthew Guy to express concern at changes to wind farm planning guidelines.

Earlier this month, the Minister gazetted changes that return full planning responsibility to local governments and require notification if turbines will be within two kilometres of houses.

Moyne Mayor Jim Doukas says the council is disappointed two-kilometre setbacks are not mandatory.

He says it is also worried that no extra funding has been allocated to help shires to deal with the increased planning burden.

“Because now they’ve put the burden back on us, the proponents would want something done … step-by-step and if we don’t have the resources or the finance to hire the right people, it could drag on for years and that’s not beneficial for either the shire, the ratepayers or the proponents,” he said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/03/30/council-to-air-wind-farm-planning-worries/