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Macarthur Wind Farm P/L - Statement of Submission to Planning Panel Hearing by James Lyon
February 28, 2006
by James Lyon, Fairfield, Victoria
Summary:
The Guidelines require that “In order to facilitate a viable wind energy industry, planning applications need to include sufficient information and explanation to allow responsible authorities to come to sound and timely decisions”.
Unfortunately, the application for a planning permit by Macarthur Wind Farm P/L fails to include sufficient information. The panel should therefore recommend that the a permit not be granted, and should ask the proponent to resubmit its application with
(i) A full estimate of all economic costs of the proposal, both internal and external.
(ii) A soundly based forecast of greenhouse gas abatement outcomes, based on the best available data and an independent, peer reviewed computer modelling of the NEM
(iii) A full, project specific, assessment of the energy and greenhouse gas costs of the proposal itself, including all directly and indirectly associated activities.
I oppose the granting of a planning permit for the Macarthur Wind Farm because:
(i) The economic cost of the proposal to electricity consumers and the Victorian economy is excessive, and the economic impact of the proposal has not been adequately assessed by the proponent.
(ii) The environmental benefits of the proposal are grossly overstated, and have not been adequately assessed by the proponent.
(iii) The proponent has not adequately assessed the environmental costs of the proposal, in particular its energy cost and greenhouse gas impact.
(iv) The proposal is not an appropriate development of wind energy facilities in the terms of the Victorian government’s Policy and planning guidelines for the development of wind energy facilities in Victoria (the Guidelines) in that it fails to demonstrate any environmental benefits (in particular the extent of any greenhouse gas abatement), it fails to quantify the economic costs to the Victorian community, and it therefore does not demonstrate a satisfactory balance between environmental and economic outcomes.
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(v) The planning application does not comply with the above mentioned Guidelines in that it does not “include sufficient information and explanation to allow responsible authorities to come to sound and timely decisions.” Specifically, it does not include sufficient information and explanation to enable a Responsible Authority to make a sound decision which will “balance environmental, social and economic matters in favour of net community benefit and sustainable development”.
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(v) The planning application does not comply with the above mentioned Guidelines in that it does not “include sufficient information and explanation to allow responsible authorities to come to sound and timely decisions.” Specifically, it does not include sufficient information and explanation to enable a Responsible Authority to make a sound decision which will “balance environmental, social and economic matters in favour of net community benefit and sustainable development”.
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