The draft guidelines were produced following public submissions to councillors and staff during the community consultation period at the start of February’s ordinary meeting, made by residents of the Furracabad and Waterloo area opposed to the proposed Glen Innes Windfarm. During their submission the residents questioned why council did not already have a policy document regarding wind power generation and turbines within the local government area, and pleaded for council to formulate appropriate policies.

Mr Price has since prepared the report in accordance with the Australian Wind Energy Associations (Auswind) Best Practise guidelines and aims to give the community as well as potential developers guidelines for future wind farm developments.

Council’s proposed guidelines rest on the principles of safety, reliability, economical sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability.

Council will decide whether to accept the draft and then place it on public exhibition for 28 days at various locations including Glencoe Post Office, Emmaville Post Office, Deepwater Post Office, Council’s offices at the Town Hall and at Church Street, at the library at Glen Innes Severn Learning Centre, and on council’s web page.

The Examiner understands that councillors will this afternoon visit two properties to be affected by turbines after the council meeting.

Meanwhile, Colin Paterson from project consultants Connell Wagner told the Examiner the company would not publicly comment on the concerns of protestors until after it filed a development application for the project with the NSW Department of Planning, expected to be either tomorrow or next week.

“After about a month with the department it will then be available for public comment. It is important that the process is done by the book. While I will respond to individual written concerns, the company does not wish to get into a public slanging match,” Mr Paterson said.