February 8, 2012
Australia

Call to halt wind farm work during landscape assessment

By Emma-Jayne Schenk, www.spec.com.au 8 February 2012

The Government’s $2.5 million state-wide landscape assessment will be a waste of time if no changes are made to current south-west wind farm developments, according to Penshurst resident, Keith Staff.

The Southern Grampians Shire supports the assessment which will take a closer look at the region’s landscape values.

It has also put $25,000 towards a separate project – the Grampians Landscape Assessment.

Mr Staff said the findings of the assessment could potentially put a stop to further wind farm developments in Victoria.

He called for future planning permit applications at Penshurst and Willatook to be stopped until the assessment is completed and more facts are known.

“Hopefully the outcome of the Government’s landscape assessment will provide greater protection for the landscape against unco-ordinated, unilaterally planned and ugly speculative proposals by wind energy facility proponents,” he said.

Shire environment manager, Lucinda Peterson said the council budgeted for the Grampians landscape assessment project this financial year and it was currently under way.

“Southern Grampians Shire advocated to the State Government for a broad inland landscape study, especially in relation to the Victorian volcanic plains,” she said.

“It is expected that the … assessment will provide additional guidance for decision making around built proposals which may have an impact on the landscape.”

Full report in Thursday’s Spectator.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/08/call-to-halt-wind-farm-work-during-landscape-assessment/