Council to decide on wind farm

Cobden Times
02/01/2008 Page: 1

The fate of a $50 million Newfield wind farm will be decided at Corangamite Shire Council's January meeting. The proposed wind farm would be situated on 300 hectares, eight kilometres inland from Port Campbell. Spanish company Acciona Energy is behind the development, which when fully operational could power 28,000 homes.

The wind farm would have 15, 1.5 megawatt turbines, standing at 110 metres high and be located on a four kilometre ridge of farmland. Acciona Energy submitted a planning permit to council earlier this year. Shire building and statutory planning manager Michelle Grainger said locals were notified about the proposed development.

"The plans were publicly exhibited for five weeks in August and September and we had public meetings with members of the local community:" Council has received 15 submissions from the public about the development. Issues raised included noise, blade glint, landscape impact and the distance the wind farm would be from nearby homes. "We are currently considering issues raised by Acciona's application and the submissions and aim to make a recommendation to council at its January 22 meeting;" Mrs Grainger said.