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Tough time at Waikato wind farm meeting

stuff.co.nz|Esther Harward|March 23, 2006
Australia / New ZealandGeneral

Lines company Wel Networks battled a tough crowd at Te Uku near Raglan last night at the first of several public meetings to discuss its proposed $140 million wind farm.


Wel Networks chief executive Mike Underhill faced a barrage of often hostile questions about the noise, visual and property value impacts of building 24 turbines on the Wharauroa Plateau to power 30,000 homes.
 
He urged opponents to hold fire until in-depth research was carried out to support the company's resource consent application, which could be lodged as early as September.
 
Te Uku is the closest community to the planned turbines, which would be 80 metres high with blades reaching 45 metres in diameter.
 
Several people at the packed Te Uku community hall spoken to by the Times said they supported or were undecided about the wind farm but would not speak out publicly because of pressure from opponents.
 
A Te Uku man said the community …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]
Wel Networks chief executive Mike Underhill faced a barrage of often hostile questions about the noise, visual and property value impacts of building 24 turbines on the Wharauroa Plateau to power 30,000 homes.
 
He urged opponents to hold fire until in-depth research was carried out to support the company's resource consent application, which could be lodged as early as September.
 
Te Uku is the closest community to the planned turbines, which would be 80 metres high with blades reaching 45 metres in diameter.
 
Several people at the packed Te Uku community hall spoken to by the Times said they supported or were undecided about the wind farm but would not speak out publicly because of pressure from opponents.
 
A Te Uku man said the community was "too small" to put his hand up. "There's a few people around the area who are basically upset, and we live here."
 
He backed the wind farm because resource consents for traditional energy sources such as hydro and thermal were being turned down, it would strengthen electricity supply to Raglan and Te Uku, and increase discounts to Wel Networks consumers.
 
Te Uku farmer Andy Greenwood said the proposal had killed interest in the sale of his farm, which neighboured the wind farm site. He had put his property on the market a week before Wel Network's announced its plan.
 
"The real estate agent got six calls to say people would come to the open day, then the wind farm news was released and nobody turned up."
 
Lynda Ormiston, whose husband Peter is a fourth-generation Te Uku farmer, said she was concerned about noise from the blades, which would turn 10 times a minute. Their farm on SH23 was next to the planned wind farm site.
 
"If we can hear the deer roar and the Telecom repeater station, I'm sure we'll hear the turbines. Because we're farmers, we'll be there 24/7. How will we get away from it?"
 
Mr Underhill said reports would be carried out and released to the public on potential impacts including noise, environment and property values. The resource consent application would be publicly notified, which would give people an opportunity to make a formal submission to Waikato District Council and Environment Waikato.

Further meetings are at 7pm today at the Te Mata Hall, tomorrow at Raglan Area School, Monday at Kawhia Town Hall and Tuesday at Te Akau Waingaro Community Complex.


Source:http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/…

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