By STEVE GRAY
DALVEEN residents hugged and cheered after Southern Downs Regional Council quashed a proposal for a wind farm in the district.
The residents celebrated a unanimous decision of council rejecting the proposal, against the advice of its own staff.
Urban Potentials Pty Ltd had applied to build eight generators, each 150 metres high, to produce so much electricity that a planned 110KV power line from Warwick to Stanthorpe would not be needed. The facility was also to contain a solar array and back-up generators.
There were 56 submissions to council opposing the project.
Mayor Peter Blundell said the council had probably never received more information about a single application.
Councillor Jamie Mackenzie led the arguments against the proposal, saying he had no objection to wind power but these generators were 10 times the height of surrounding vegetation.
Cr Denise Ingram seconded his motion rejecting the development application.
Cr Mackenzie said the proposal for Rabbit Fence Rd did not comply with council’s planning scheme; set an undesirable precedent; and the amenity of the residents could not be protected.
Cr Mackenzie stressed that he was supportive of renewable energy projects but had concerns about the location of the wind farm.
“If we are to have a wind farm let it be in a windy isolated area of the region,” he said.
Cr Jo McNally said it was better to adopt a precautionary principle because the health effects of wind farms were not settled.
Cr Vic Pennisi said that among other concerns the effects wind farms had on bees, key pollinators and an export industry, were unknown.
Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley said he was concerned about the noise generated by the turbines.
To the delight of the packed public gallery, the council then unanimously rejected the proposal, citing three reasons.
Council reports said the proposal does not comply with the strategic provisions outlined in the current planning scheme for the region.
Councillors were concerned that the project could set an undesirable precedent for high impact renewable energy developments in comparatively densely settled rural areas in the region.
They said the amenity of adjoining areas and environmental impacts on the surrounding community cannot be adequately protected in accordance with the precautionary principle by reasonable conditions of approval of the proposed development.
Cr Mackenzie moved a motion that council review its planning scheme so that renewable energy projects can be addressed.
He raised concerns that established rural neighbourhoods would continue to be threatened by wind farms, solar and other renewable energy proposals, motorbike and other active rural recreation pursuits across the Southern Downs.
“We have detailed codes on feedlots and poultry farms so we need better guidelines for residents, applicants and council officers to assess development proposals” Cr Mackenzie said.
“It is not fair that residents and applicants must lose sleep because our town plan is vague in its direction on these threats so we need to amend it.”
Outside the council chamber Sheryl Madgley, who recently brought property in nearby Thulimbah, said she was ecstatic.
“I’m very, very pleased. A lot of hard work has gone into getting this far.”
Tracey Mouws said the community had come together in opposition.
“We’re all absolutely thrilled,” she said.
“We feel that we’ve provided the council with all of the correct information, both scientific and factual and based on that information they’ve come to the right conclusion.”
Dino Maritan said he lived within a kilometre of the first proposed tower; there was a school nearby; and the wind farm’s effect on property values was unknown.
“It’s a commonsense result. We produced plenty of facts, scientific facts that can’t be ignored by anybody,” he said.
The broader matter of wind farms will be considered by council as it reviews its planning scheme in 2014.
Proponent of the alternative energy farm, Juergen Hanisch, praised council officers.
“The officers reports were one of the most rigorous, well-researched reports I have seen, and the decision of the council was completely contrary to all the scientific advice they were given.”
Mr Hanisch said he would have to discuss the possibility of an appeal with his client, who was then in Newport, Rhode Island.
SIDEBAR
Future of wind farms
THE Clean Energy Council says there is a strong future for wind farms in Queensland, despite the decision to refuse the Dalveen project.
The Clean Energy Council’s Russell Marsh told the ABC that proponents need to do more to address community concerns about noise pollution.
“One of the things the industry is trying to get better at is talking to the community, taking the community with it and we have examples where wind companies have spent a lot of time engaging with the community and talking to them about the wind farm proposals design of it, where the turbines will be sited and addressing some of the issues that local communities have,” he said.
Mr Marsh said there are plenty of benefits to having wind farms in rural settings.
“We’re seeing lots of examples of farmers in the area saying having wind turbines on their land actually provides them with another source of income that helps protect … their farm when they have bad years with other aspects of their farm business,” he said.
