Proponents of the Biala Wind Farm have done little to communicate their plans to construct a transmission plant, a Biala resident has argued.
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The comments come close to one month after the NSW Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) deferred the development application (DA) for the Biala Wind Farm transmission line and substation upgrade.
According to the submission, a transmission line is required to transport electricity from the turbines to the electricity grid.
The DA for the project received support from the Upper Lachlan Shire Council (ULSC) last November.
In March, it was unanimously deferred by the JRPP panel, citing a lack of information surrounding the site’s environmental impact, water management and Aboriginal significance.
If approved, the transmission line will support the Biala Wind Farm.
The proponents, Beijing Jingneng Clean Energy (BJCE) Australia, own 75 per cent of the new Gullen Range Wind Farm and all of the of the Biala Wind Farm.
BJCE Australia purchased the Biala Wind Farm from the original developer in October last year.
Biala resident Jenifer Heffernan, who believes prime land should be used for farming, said it was satisfying the JRPP weren’t happy with the lack of information presented.
“The community has given up, the whole Upper Lachlan Shire has given up on fighting wind farms. There is so much energy and time consumed by fighting things we don’t get a say in,” she said.
“The community voice isn’t being listened to. The community does not want this wind farm to go ahead.
“It’s disheartening when that happens… but you can’t keep whipping a dead horse.”
She described herself as a former “fence sitter” when it came to renewable energy, but is now concerned about the use of land, carbon footprint, the aesthetic disruption and the lack of conversation surrounding its decommissioning.
Formally opposing the project at the JRPP meeting, she told the Gazette she believed the community was unaware of the most recent project application, advertised over the Christmas break.
She argued residents were only allowed to speak for five minutes, and the proponent for close to an hour.
She questioned why it was advertised over holidays, when most people would be away.
“I was not made aware of the DA until the JRPP advertised it in the Crookwell Gazette. I missed the opportunity to put a submission to the DA when it was open to the public. It was not adequately advertised at the time,” she said.
“I contacted most residents in the Biala area when I found out… every single resident I spoke to was not aware that the DA had been submitted for the transmission line.
“Communication was not there with the community. The council is at fault; so is the proponent.”
She was also worried about the traffic management plan, as it did not source recent traffic data or include information on the four school buses that use the roads. This included a lack of focus on water surveys and potential impacts on aquatic life.
The ULSC received three submissions for the transmission line DA, all in opposition, following a public exhibition between December 7, 2017 and January 19, 2018.
ULSC general manager John Bell said residents were informed of the DA in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations and Councils notification policy.
“Once [the amended DA] is received it will be publicly exhibited and assessed in accordance with statutory requirements and provided to the JRPP for determination,” he said.
According to BJCE Australia project manager Derek Powell, an update of the JRPP meeting was distributed via post to 150 residents around the proposed site.
Following changes to ownership, he said BJCE Australia has met face to face with almost every residents in a three-kilometre radius.
“The council oversees the advertising and collects submissions from residents. The council is required to advertise the development application. The advertising period was extended as it fell over the Christmas break,” Mr Powell said.
“As part of our consultation process last year, we advised the residents in the area surrounding the project site and proposed transmission line route that we were going to be submitting the application.
“The council will oversee the advertising, collect submissions and write a report for the JRPP. The JRPP decide when the next meeting will be held to consider the application.”
The electrical cable is planned to be housed underground rather than overhead at an additional cost to BJCE Australia.
“We received a mixture of responses. Some are positive and some people are concerned. It’s very important to engage with the community,” Mr Powell said
“It’s very important to us that the information that’s being discussed is factual information.”
Mr Powell said the Biala Wind Farm project, scheduled for construction in June, could go ahead if the DA was deferred again, citing “many options” for connecting the turbines to the grid.
There are currently five members on the BWF community consultative committee. In a February 20 meeting, the group decided to advertise for new members. The amended application will be assessed by the JRPP panel at a later date.
