March 13, 2012
Australia

Clock ticking on new wind farm developments

ABC News, www.abc.net.au 13 March 2012

The State Government says it has allowed enough time for construction to begin on wind farms approved under the previous planning guidelines.

Wind farm developers will have to apply for new planning permits if they do not begin construction by Thursday.

The Opposition’s planning spokesman Brian Tee says projects with a combined capacity of 919 megawatts are affected.

He says up to 600 potential construction jobs are threatened if companies are unable to meet the deadline.

“At a time when jobs are draining away, 600 new jobs are likely to disappear,” he said.

“I would plead with the Victorian Government to think of the families that are going to lose out.”

But Planning Minister Matthew Guy says the Government has already extended the deadline.

“The current Government has given more than 12 months to wind farm owners who have had more than seven years to get their acts together,” he said.

“It is not the government’s guidelines that are holding them back. It is in fact the ability to get finance, or the ability to construct.”

The State Government introduced stricter wind farm planning guidelines last year.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/13/clock-ticking-on-new-wind-farm-developments/