July 12, 2016
New Zealand

No wind farm for Blueskin Bay

No wind farm for Blueskin Bay (+ video) | Otago Daily Times | 12 Jul 2016 | www.odt.co.nz

An application to build and operate a wind farm at Blueskin Bay in Dunedin has been turned down, as it failed to meet required standards to gain consent.

The Dunedin City Council Hearings Committee released its decision in a statement this afternoon.

The application was heard by Ministry for the Environment-approved independent Commissioner Colin Weatherall over four days in May this year.

Blueskin Energy Ltd sought resource consent to establish a community-owned wind farm with three turbines on Porteous Hill near Warrington.

Mr Weatherall said he carefully considered all relevant reports and documents supplied with the application, submissions, staff reports and evidence produced during the hearing.

He also made many visits to the site.

“My decision to decline the application was significantly influenced by the adverse effects the wind farm would have on the amenity and character of three Pryde Road properties.

“These effects were not able to be mitigated.”

The decision was subject to an appeal period of 15 working days.

Mr Weatherall said there had been significant community and public interest in the issue. This was evident in the 153 submissions made to the wind farm application.

The site of the proposed wind farm was zoned rural in the operative Dunedin City District Plan.

The proposal included extending an access road, excavation of the tower foundations and erection and commissioning of the turbines.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/07/12/no-wind-farm-for-blueskin-bay/