Data request for wind farm

Colac Herald
Monday 18/6/2007 Page: 2

Corangamite Shire Council needs more information about a proposed wind farm near Port Campbell before it calls for public submissions. Energy company Acciona Energy has lodged a planning application with the council for up to 15 wind turbines at Newfield. The council's infrastructure and development group manager Paul Younis said Acciona Energy needed to supply additional information including clarification "on three or four different issues" before the council encouraged public comment.

"We are accepting public submissions at present but I would suggest people waited until the additional information is available for them to consider," Mr Younis said. "We have asked for more information in regards to the specific siting of the turbines and for information about access issues," he said. "They can take as long as they like to submit the information but I would expect them to submit it relatively soon," Mr Younis said.

He said extra submissions were normal for large planning applications. "Once we go through applications like this in detail we usually need more information to clarify things," he said. Mr Younis said the council would advertise the application for public comment once it had the extra information.