November 7, 2012
Australia

Shire blocks wind farm proposal

Cimara Pearce | November 7, 2012 | The Weekly Times | www.weeklytimesnow.com.au

Victoria’s first wind-farm application since tough new State Government planning laws were introduced has been rejected.

Mitchell Shire rejected the $100 million Cherry Tree Wind Farm proposal near Seymour, which had outraged some community members.

Developer Infigen Energy will now take the case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Cherry Tree Wind Farm development manager Laura Dunphy said a VCAT directions hearing would take place on Friday with a hearing to follow in late January.

“We are disappointed that the councillors rejected the proposal, considering the council officer’s report recommended to support the wind farm and the wind farm has been designed to abide by all the stringent guidelines imposed by the Victorian Government,” Ms Dunphy said.

Mitchell Shire Council could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, plans are under way for another new wind farm to be built in Victoria.

Energy company NewEn is awaiting the outcome of an Environment Effects Statement referral after which it will finalise a planning application for the Dundonnell Wind Farm in western Victoria.

The wind farm, according to the EES referral, is unique in that it is a project that was initiated by a group of landholders in Moyne Shire who wanted to place turbines on their properties.

“The Dundonnell Wind Farm project was initially conceived after a collective of landholders at the site formed a company with the intent of selecting a developer for a wind farm,” the EES says.

The farm would cater for up to 90 turbines and NewEn will need consent from neighbouring landholders within 2km of turbines if the proposal is to go ahead.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/11/07/shire-blocks-wind-farm-proposal/