Thursday 4 January 2007

Green light for wind farms?

Scone Advocate
Thursday 21/12/2006 Page: 3

THE Upper Hunter Shire Council can now consider development applications for alternate forms of energy in the Upper Hunter after an amendment to the Scone Local Environment Plan (LEP). The amendment comes in time for a potential wind farm application to be lodged in the near future.

The company, which is in the preliminary stages of an application for a 20 to 40 turbine wind farm, is assessing potential sites at Middlebrook.

Upper Hunter Shire Council General Manager Daryl Dutton said the amendment was a positive for the Upper Hunter and would allow council to assess the proposal of a renewable and environment friendly energy source.

"Council will consider each application on its own merits but a renewable energy source could supplement the coal powered energy. If four wind turbines could power Murrurundi, 20 should be more than enough to power Scone and Aberdeen," Mr Dutton said.

'The infrastructure for such power sources is already in the (Upper Hunter) valley so it's a possibility," he said.

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