Cr Paul Jarman attended the recent public information meeting at Nanneella called by the developer, Fera Australia.
Cr Jarman said the wind farm was the first proposed for the Campaspe Shire, so there were a lot of questions in the minds of residents.
He said Campaspe Shire Council was not opposed to renewable energy provided the projects were in appropriate locations.
Fera Australia is considering building a wind farm with up to 25 turbines on two areas — one between Nanneella and Koyuga, and another north-west of Rushworth.
Some residents at the public meeting asked what the council was doing about the proposal.
Cr Jarman told the meeting decisions on renewable projects were now being made by the Victorian planning minister, although municipalities could have an input into applications.
He believed the council would probably want to make a submission.
“We represent the community and I think we have a right to put those views to the planning minister.”
Cr Jarman said he was surprised at the the number of people attending the meeting but was impressed by the range of questions that were asked.
“The whole purpose of the night was about providing information, and it is natural that people will have questions about what is happening.”
Prior to the news about the project breaking, Campaspe Shire Council had decided to ask the Municipal Association of Victoria to lobby the Victorian Government over the potential conflict of renewable energy and agricultural productivity.
The motion read: “That the MAV calls on the Victorian Government to review the Solar Energy Facilities Design and Development Guideline to provide better mapping of areas of high agriculture and landscape value within renewable energy zones and introduce criteria to require proposed facilities to consider the agrotourism and agriculture productivity of the site and wider area in assessing the suitability of sites for renewable energy facilities.”
Meanwhile, State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell said renewable energy has an important role to play in the energy mix in Victoria, but facilities must be appropriately located, and it is always concerning when the proposal for these facilities is in prime agricultural areas and especially when it involves the use of highly productive irrigated land.
“Earlier this year the state Labor government changed the planning laws to prevent third party objections in VCAT and gave the planning minister sole power to decide on renewable energy applications,” Ms Lovell said.
“This effectively took away all rights for landholders and communities to object to planning applications for these projects.
“Therefore, the time is now for the community to speak loud and clear, and make their objections known to the State Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny and Fera Australia before any planning application is made.”
VicGrid, a division of the Victorian Government, is starting the planning of Victorian Renewable Energy Zones through a statewide Victorian Transmission Plan.
“The result of this statewide assessment will be a high-level view of the suitability of land for potentially hosting renewable energy generation and transmission,” a statement on VicGrid’s website says.
“The outcomes of this assessment will help to avoid or minimise impacts to areas that are considered highly sensitive or significant.”
This plan will include a 15-year outlook for transmission infrastructure projects needed to meet the state’s electricity system needs and unlock Renewable Energy Zones.
For more information, go to: https://engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan
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