Colin Patterson, NP Power
We certainly feel good that the approval process has gone through in our favour as both ourselves and the landowners have gone through a long, arduous but fair approvals.
Unfortunately we were informed by phone on the morning of the decision being made public which isn’t ideal. We would have liked to have informed interested parties ourselves rather than them finding out through the media.
We we would have preferred the whole contingent of turbines to be approved however in the interest of the project and of course the surrounding landowners we accept that the Department of Planning has been thorough in it’s deliberation and accept that one of the turbines was removed from the development.
Once we have moved discussions forward with contractors, suppliers and Transgrid we will be in a better position to determine when construction will commence.
We have yet to see the final version of the conditions of approval but we understand the basis on which they were determined and will comply.
The inquiry into rural wind farms is independent of the ongoing process in this case. We will abide by its outcomes on future wind farms in NSW.
The $75,000 a year council contribution is in line with the Glen Innes and Severn Council’s DCP and we certainly believe that it is reasonable. In fact our wind farm landowners have been in the forefront of this issue of community expenditure making sure that we contribute something to the council and the recent council DCP was able to formalise this very well. We won’t get a say on how the money is spent and I think that is entirely correct. The council will have an approved list of projects to spend this money on.
Glen Innes Landscape Guardians
The local community and its local government have been sidelined by the Planning Minister’s premature approval of the Glen Innes Wind Farm with turbines within 2km of nearby residences.
Members of the Landscape Guardians recently gave evidence to the NSW Inquiry into Rural Wind Farms but Minister Keneally has not had the good grace to await its recommendations.
Cynics could be forgiven for questioning the influence of huge political donations.
Dr Nina Pierpont, the leading medical expert on “Wind Turbine Syndrome” recommends a minimum 2km setback as do other health authorities.
This is clearly why the Glen Severn Council as well as other councils have developed DCPs with a minimum 2km setback.
The two Furracabad wind farmers who have signed up for wind turbines within 2km of neighbouring homes did so in full knowledge of the objections of their neighbours and the Furracabad community. Their actions may be legal but they are certainly not moral.
There is no such thing as easy money, it comes at a cost and that cost will be paid by every neighbour to a wind farm within the 2km buffer zone.
We would urge any landowner planning wind turbines to consider your neighbour and not agree to turbines within 2km of a neighbouring home.
Reverend Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, uses the term “ubuntu” which loosely translated means, “we are all connected, and we cannot be ourselves without community”. Minister Keneally and the Furracabad wind farmers would do well to consider that concept.
Windfarm landowners
Yesterday's announcement of the approval of the Glen Innes Windfarm (GIWF)is a great day for clean energy and reducing our reliance on dirty fuels such as coal.
It is also a great day for the overwhelming majority of the Glen Innes community who have supported this project to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. The project will generate enough energy to power every home in the New England from the border to Armidale from a clean and sustainable resource and will bring much needed capital investment, economic stimulus and jobs to Glen Innes.
There has been an exhaustive process starting with the project's inception in 2001/02. There has been extensive community consultation and the conditions of consent have resulted in the project being modified. This shows that the Department of Planning and the developer have been willing to listen to the community's concerns. DOP representatives made a special trip to Glen Innes to hear the concerns of The Landscape Guardians and conduct extensive site inspections. The DOP should be applauded for applying an even-handed process that is not at risk of being hijacked by minority interests.
Despite Mr Torbay's claims, the overwhelming majority of people do not oppose this particular development. He needs to realise that if a 2km setback was applied to the hundreds of other turbines proposed for his electorate, billions of dollars of investment would be lost. Maybe he should ask the community of Caroona whether they would prefer to live next to a windfarm or a coalmine?
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