News
Mr Low told the Te Rere Hau hearing that it was hasty.
The two hearings are being conducted simultaneously.
There was also potential for the Te Rere Hau extension to "leapfrog" Turitea, he said.
Policing of cumulative noise effects remained an issue. "I hope that residents squeezed in the middle are considered in your decision," he said.
Hearing chairman David McMahon said more avenues existed for appeal over Te Rere Hau than Turitea, which is being assessed by a government-appointed board of inquiry.
Tararua-Aokautere Guardians, set up by residents wanting to protect the area from wind-farm development, has more than 180 members.
Mr Low said Te Rere Hau's two-bladed turbines created "the greatest visual diversion" on the ranges. He asked the panel to consider "at what point we might be making a conscious decision to give up on this landscape".
Residents near Te Rere Hau sometimes had their sleep disturbed by the farm, he said. Unlike other annoying noises, turbines' noise did not stop, and "turbines do not sleep", he said.
The community was developing a lack of faith in the ability of noise standards to protect residents, he said.
Farmer Ross Gibson said noise standards failed to capture what people actually experienced or explain why there were so many complaints about Te Rere Hau.
"This begs the question: Who are the real experts here?"
There was an ever-changing range of noises - from a whine to a thump, he said.
"Why grant consent [for extension] to the most controversial existing wind farm in the country?"
Another submitter, Clel Wallace, said New Zealand Windfarms had not shown it was complying with its existing consent.
He raised a series of concerns about noise data.
Several submitters also referred to a public spat between NZ Windfarms and turbine supplier Windflow Technology.
| < prev | next > |



