Warrnambool Standard
Wednesday 25/7/2007 Page: 7
DEVELOPERS of a proposed wind farm near Purnim have opposed CFA requests to install water tanks on the site to assist firefighters. Yesterday, Wind Farm Developments director Alistair Wilson told a Moyne Shire Council hearing that he opposed the request to install static water tanks because firefighting equipment would be unable to reach a tower blaze, rendering the tanks useless.
The company is planning a 13-turbine project three kilometres north of Purnim across 800 hectares which will supply enough electricity for 21,000 homes. Plans ignore the shire's requested buffer zone from boundaries of three times the towers' height (405 metres) with the developer opting to use a VicRoads measurement of 150 metres. The closest home to the wind farm is 886m away, three homes are within one kilometre of turbines and 29 homes are within 2.5km.
Unlike the Government approved Macarthur wind farm or the smaller project proposed for Hawkesdale, the $63 million Drysdale development would feed power to the Terang power station if approved by council. Mr Wilson told the hearing in Mortlake that the wind farm had the capacity to feed power down the Warrnambool line to power homes if there was a fire at the Terang power station.
John B. Howard and Marilyn Homman told councillors they were concerned about the wind farm's effects on livestock. Cr Brenda Hampson said: "Farming is the livelihood of many people and I'm concerned if you are not listening to the CFA. We have had fire sweep through the community and it's been devastating. I'd hate to think it would happen again if you were not listening to the CFA."
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