A state government planning panel has given a developer the green light to build a 13-turbine wind farm west of Woolsthorpe.
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The project was originally granted a planning permit in 2008 and amended in 2017 to increase the height of the proposed wind turbines. The recent planning panel was convened to decide on a further amendment proposal from the developer that would reduce the number of turbines, but increase their height to 230 metres at the tip of the blade.
The amended proposal was exhibited for community feedback in late 2022 and received 47 responses, with concerns about the visual effect of the much taller turbines, the danger to rare local bats, the potential noise emitted once the wind farm starts operating, and the hazard posed to aircraft using the Warrnambool Airport.
In a detailed report, the expert planning panel addressed the various concerns, but approved the amended proposal virtually unchanged.
Bruce Keen had led a chorus of community dismay about the size of the turbines, which had almost doubled in height from the original 2008 proposal.
"It'll be 13 Rialto-sized towers," Mr Keen told The Standard in April 2023.
"We're frightened of the value decrease it may cause to our properties, we're concerned about the height increase and the visual aspect on our landscape."
But the planning panel said potential effects on surrounding land values were "not a relevant planning consideration", dismissing the concerns. The panel said the issue of taller towers looming larger on the horizon could be solved by planting trees on the properties of affected residents to screen the view.
"The panel is satisfied the off-site landscaping program is an appropriate mitigation measure to minimise visual impacts," the report said.
The panel dismissed noise concerns, saying it was "satisfied the assessment of background noise and predicted noise for operation of Woolsthorpe and adjacent Hawkesdale wind farms is consistent with regulations".
The main worry for local wildlife was the critically endangered southern bent wing bat, which had been observed at the adjacent Hawkesdale Wind Farm site.
The panel said surveys had failed to find any bent wing bats at the Woolsthorpe site and the increased turbine height, which increased the blade clearance to 55 metres above ground level, made collisions unlikely. But it recommended including a compulsory mitigation plan in the permit, forcing the wind farm to change its operations in the event a bat was killed by a turbine.
Both Moyne and Warrnambool councils raised objections to the increased turbine height on the basis the taller structures posed a risk to aircraft using the Warrnambool Airport, which is about 12km from the south-east corner of the wind farm site.
The turbines would require the "lowest safe altitude" for aircraft to be raised to 2200 feet, but the councils objected to the change, arguing it would make landing more difficult at the airport and limit its future expansion. The panel dismissed the objection, saying the developer could apply to have the limit raised once the turbine locations had been finalised.
Moyne Shire also raised more general worries about the project adding to the "cumulative impact" of wind farm developments throughout the region. In 2022 the council hardened its stance against new wind farm approvals, strongly recommending the Planning Minister halt any new approvals until proper strategic planning was done for renewable energy infrastructure in the region.
It said the Woolsthorpe project didn't bring a net benefit to the local community.
"The project exhibits a number of flaws and deficiencies that suggest that in this case net community benefit weighs against the grant of the amendment application. The panel cannot be satisfied that the amendment application will be acceptable in this instance, even if it does mean that there are fewer turbines proposed," the council said.
"There has been insufficient strategic planning for wind energy facilities in Victoria, and insufficient assessment of this amendment application in particular, to ensure that the project's overall effects on the shire's communities and natural environments will be acceptable."
The panel dismissed the concerns and said the cumulative impact of the project was "acceptable".
The panel recommendation will go to the Planning Minister for final approval of the amended permit, paving the way for the $190 million project to proceed. Once operational, the wind farm will have a 73 megawatt capacity, enough to power 55,000 homes and more than double the output of the original proposal.
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