VCAT option still open

Yarram Standard News
Wednesday 25/10/2006, Page: 3

THE company proposing to build a wind farm at Devon North now has the right to appeal Wellington Shire Council's decision to not approve the nine-turbine development. The German backed company could take the issue to the state's peak planning body, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in a bid to gain a planning permit.

That would then allow the turbines to be erected on a hill at Ingles Road, Devon North.

Cr Jeff Amos, of Yarram, who moved the motion at last week's council meeting to reject a planning permit on the grounds of visual and noise issues, said the next move now rested with the company.

"I have no idea whether it will go to VCAT. That is up to the company if they want to do that," he said.

They have a certain period of time to appeal and until that appeal is in writing to VCAT, we will be none the wiser." Cr Amos described the issue as one of the "major decisions" to come before councillors in recent years.

He spent four months researching planning guidelines, and reading and responding to emails for and against the wind farm before arriving at his decision.

"I'm not against renewable energy but I'm against this site. I really think that we should be looking at other alternative forms of energy, given that we have a lot of tidal movement around our coast, and we have a lot of sun too." Cr Amos said.