November 11, 2020
Australia
Australia
Hills of Gold Preservation Society takes petition to Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson at NSW Parliament in Sydney
Billy Jupp | The Northern Daily Leader | November 11 2020 | /www.northerndailyleader.com.au
Billy Jupp | The Northern Daily Leader | November 11 2020 | /www.northerndailyleader.com.au
Nundle residents against the proposed Hills of Gold wind farm project have taken their case to NSW Parliament in Sydney.
The Hills of Gold Preservation Society has spent the past several months collecting signatures of locals against the proposed $750 million project and on Monday the group delivered the petition to Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson.
Society members John Krsulja, Megan Trousdale and Teresa Eather handed over the petition, which also garnered support from listeners of Ben Fordham's Sydney radio show.
The petition's delivery comes after French multinational electric company ENGIE recently purchased the development from Wind Energy Partners, with plans to lodge a development application for the project later this month.
"The Hills of Gold Preservation Society believes there are enough large-scale renewables in the pipeline for wind farms to be sensitively sited, and not all wind farms need to be approved," society president John Krsulja said.
"We ask that the ecology and biodiversity of the environmentally significant ridgeline is protected, including the transport corridor, project area and transmission line route."
The online petition is set to remain active until the NSW Independent Planning Commission makes a decision on the project, which is likely to be made by the end of 2021.
ENGIE has said the project were to be approved, it was likely to create more than 215 direct jobs and about 430 indirect jobs during construction, and 30 to 50 permanent jobs and indirect jobs when operational.
The project has divided the Nundle community, with locals having mixed views on the proposed development.
ENGIE's Australia-New Zealand general manager of asset development Andrew Kerley said the project would make a major difference to the region's economy.
"The Hills of Gold Wind Farm is a quality project that adds renewable energy to the national grid, while also creating local economic activity during construction and operation of the 25-year lifespan of the asset," Mr Kerley said.
"We're looking forward to the opportunity of building the Hills of Gold Wind Farm and to working with the local community to unlock the benefits of renewable energy development."