Wind plans go on show

Warrnambool Standard
Thursday 15/2/2007 Page: 6

PLANS for a proposed wind farm 10 kilometres north-west of Port Fairy are on exhibit for public comment. The 68-turbine project would be on properties bounding Hamilton-Port Fairy Road, Fingerboard Road and Shaw River and would produce a maximum of 136 megawatts of energy.

A company report on the project said the turbines would stand 121.5 metres high. Output from the Ryans Corner farm would be transferred to the electricity grid through a 32-kilometre overhead power line. It would be connected to a high voltage substation at the site of the proposed Hawkesdale wind farm before connecting into the Moorabool- Heywood 500 kilovolt line.

A yet-to-be-appointed planning panel will hold a hearing on the project before making a recommendation to Planning Minister Justin Madden. Plans and the application for a planning permit can be viewed at Moyne Shire's Port Fairy office and the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Warrnambool office.

Moyne Shire Council planning and environment director Greg Anders yesterday said the council would seek submissions from the community about the Ryans Corner project before forwarding the shire's submission to the Planning Minister by March 26.

Residents will receive a copy of the planning application from the shire this week and have until March 5 to make a submission to council. A submission hearing will be held on March 13 at the Port Fairy Yacht Club before councillors decide on the shire's position at a special meeting on March 20.

Submissions will be forwarded to an independent planning panel which will conduct a hearing and make a recommendation on the project's future.