Coobar petition tabled in parliament

Venn Energy is planning a 50 megawatt solar farm and storage battery on 665 hectares near Colbinabbin, inside the Heathcote wine region.

Ms Cleeland has called on the Victorian Government to reject the planning application.

“This proposed renewable energy project has left community members in towns like Colbinabbin feeling frustrated and ignored, with the 665 hectare site set to consume much of the region’s prime agricultural land,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Locals have made it clear they are not against renewable projects; they just don’t believe ones like this should consume such productive land when there are several alternative options available.”

The 740,000, 8 metre-tall solar panels for the site are set to be constructed in the middle of the Heathcote Wine GI, which includes prime, highly arable agricultural land on the eastern slope of the Mt Camel hill range.

“Local winegrowers have shared fears about the impact this massive project may have on the local microclimate – something they say will dramatically alter their ability to grow grapes for their wine,” Ms Cleeland said.

The project has also been criticised by the Campaspe Shire Council, which shares concerns about the location of the proposed facility and the lack of community consultation involved.

“Sadly, locals in the towns surrounding this proposed solar facility have been ignored, and Venn Energy has failed to carry out effective community consultation,” Ms Cleeland said.

“We simply cannot allow large corporations to swoop into our communities, dismiss the concerns of the people, then take all the benefits offshore, leaving locals in a worse position than before.”

Venn Energy said the site was chosen because of its proximity to major transmission lines, because it had excellent solar exposure and because the site had already been largely cleared of native vegetation due to cultivation and cropping.

Construction is expected to take about 12-18 months, starting this year, once planning and grid connection approvals have been settled.

The project could be completed next year.