March 28, 2013
Australia

Country’s biggest wind farm rejected by District Council of Yorke Peninsula

March 28, 2013 | www.adelaidenow.com.au

The District Council of Yorke Peninsula has unanimously rejected a development application to build a $1.3 billion wind farm in the region.

The Ceres project, with 199 wind turbines, would be the biggest in Australia and would help drive down electricity prices, developer REpower said earlier this year.

But, at a special meeting last night, the council rejected the plan.

Sandilands farmer Tania Stock said it was an important step to ending the proposal – with its eventual fate now resting with the State Government’s Development Assessment Commission later this year.

“It was a bad idea to build here. They are not allowed to in the Barossa, they are not allowed to in McLaren Vale, so why here among South Australia’s best wheat and barley farms,” she said.

“These massive industrial wind turbines would prevent us from aerial spraying and it is important we use both ground and aerial spraying to control pests and diseases.

“The community doesn’t want these here, now the council agrees. It is common sense.”

REPower, backed by Indian renewable energy giant Suzlon, proposed erecting the turbines over 18,000 ha west of Black Point, about a third of the way down the peninsula.

The 36 landholders in the project would earn rent likely to be in the tens of thousands of dollars a year.

More than 500 workers would be needed during construction and 50 permanent jobs created.

MORE TO COME.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/28/countrys-biggest-wind-farm-rejected-by-district-council-of-yorke-peninsula/