General News
11 July, 2024
Comment open on Darlington Wind Farm
THE Environment Effects Statement (EES) draft scoping requirements for the proposed Darlington Wind Farm are now out for public comment.
The Department of Transport and Planning has prepared the draft scoping requirements, which notes matters to be investigated and documented in the preparation of the EES.
Residents have until midnight on July 17 to make a submission on the draft.
Prior to consultation, a review of the ESS scoping requirements will be undertaken through August before the final scoping requirements are released between August and September.
Darlington Wind Farm proponent Global Power Generation Australia (GPG) will then prepare the final ESS, which is due in 2025.
The project proposal includes up to 45 wind turbines, a decrease from the original 150, with a maximum blade tip height of 240m, covering an area of approximately 5645 hectares.
The project has an anticipated operational life of 30 years minimum, with a construction period expected to unfold over 22 months.
Each turbine would connect to an onsite substation, with connection to the grid through the existing Haunted Gully Terminal Station-Tarrone Terminal Station 500kV transmission line.
The project also includes the construction of a temporary site construction office, temporary concrete batching plant, power transformers, wind monitoring towers, vehicle access tracks, hardstands and turbines foundations, electricity and communications cables.
The project area is predominantly agricultural land on Eastern Maar Country, and includes 11 dwellings within the proposed site boundaries and a total of 54 neighbouring dwellings within six kilometres of the site.
In January this year Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny determined an EES was required for the proposed Darlington Wind Farm, citing the project had the potential for “a range of significant and complex effects that require rigorous assessment”.
This included biodiversity values, threatened species, native vegetation and ecology, Aboriginal cultural heritage and landscape and visual amenity.
There was also concerns cited further assessment was needed surrounding the “uncertainty about the extent and magnitude of potential effects” as related to heritage, traffic, shadow flicker, soils, electromagnetic interference, amenity and socioeconomic values” .
The report also directly noted the growing number of proposed turbines, with the potential “for cumulative adverse effects on local and regional environmental values in the context of other existing and publicly known proposed projects within the region”.
The wider community is invited to have its say on the draft at https://engage.vic.gov.au/darlington-wind-farm-project.
GPG is also planning an open information day for the community on Tuesday, July 23 from 10.30am to 1pm and 3.30pm to 6pm at the Mortlake Recreation Reserve.