February 8, 2018
Australia

Palmer wind farm appeal lost

7 February, 2018 | barossaleader.com

The Environment, Resources and Development Court has ruled against an appeal from a group of residents and landholders fighting to stop the Palmer Wind Farm.

Mr Tony Walker, Chairman of The Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Landscape Guardians Inc., one of four separate appellants, was advised in a letter last week of the result.

“There’s a hearing on February 22 and that process is to hear submissions about what conditions of consent might be put on the wind farm,” explained Mr Walker.

“We still have a couple of avenues of appeal which would involve the Supreme Court.”

Whilst taking it to the top level would be costly, he said it was not out of the question.

“There are a lot of people impacted by this and a large sum of people with a small amount of money each could conceivably mount a Supreme Court appeal”

Trustpower Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd. (now Tilt Renewables Australia Pty. Ltd.) lodged the Palmer wind farm development application that was approved by Mid Murray Council back in 2015.

Mr Walker said the project, as it stood at the moment, would include 103 wind turbines, starting along the ridge of the Marne River Gorge and running south towards Saunder’s Gorge and the Sanderston community. Clusters will be installed around Palmer and south from the Mount Pleasant to Walker’s Flat Road.

“These things are 165 metres to the tip of the blade, the pylon is about 40 metres. You’ll be able to see them from the other side of the Murray!”

Mr Walker felt the ERD court finding failed to take into account potential health issues in an area that is more densely populated than most realise.

“The planning profession avoids getting involved with thinking about the human impact. There are hundreds of people who are going to have clusters of these things. Some of them will have 40 or 50 or more within five kilometres.
For the full story see this week’s edition of The Leader.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/02/08/palmer-wind-farm-appeal-lost/