REASONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GROUP

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The Stakeholder Group has legitimate issues and concerns and issues about

 

• the suitability of the proposed wind farm development site area generally which is not  a contiguous  land area, instead being over 4 separate development envelopes which are situated on a number of individual freehold property lots or development envelopes totalling some 6840 hectares

• the development site area is bisected or interspersed with a large number  of small individual rural site properties many of whom are Stakeholders

• there are a large number of effected neighbouring individual  freehold property lots with some lifestyle size lots as small as 4049m2 being impacted or adjacent to proposed wind turbines

• the apparent lack of any buffers within the development areas

• the industrial nature and scale of the proposed wind farm in an area currently zoned rural

• the fact that the generation of electricity was specifically not permitted under the Broomehill Tambellup shire town planning scheme which resulted in an amendment to that town planning scheme

•  the surrounding land contains significant environmental values providing species habitat to the critically endangered Carnaby's cockatoo.

• the area having regional and local landscape values

• the necessity to effect a range of management responsibilities which have been overlooked  such as as considerations preventing buildings such as turbines  being located close to roads and on ridge lines all of which are identified in SPP 2.5

• the manner, style and adequacy in which the  Proponents of Stage 1 and the further stages are engaging with the immediate neighbours

• the issues surrounding the management of the unfortunate flow on effects of dividing the neighbourhood community where a small number of landowners who were principally the original shareholders in the original proponent company are at odds with the owners of some 100 individual surrounding properties by seeking wind turbines to be located up to 60 metres from those adjoining or adjacent neighbours rural premises

• the degradation of the existing longstanding rural landscape.

• the degradation of the existing rural amenity

• the effects of infrasound and shadow flicker on livestock

• the loss of rural amenity and underlying property values

• the environmental impacts in relation to the land clearing of remnant native vegetation and the critically endangered Carnaby black cockatoo and threatened species of Red Tail and Baudin's cockatoos, and

• the lack of clarity as to where the wind turbines are to be finally sited in order to comply with development conditions and government regulation

 

Many questions asked of the two Shires and the Proponents regarding the details of development continue to go unanswered or unsatisfactory responses are given. Feedback is not actioned and it is hoped that the Shires will proceed in a balanced and unbiased manner in the interests of all parties. As such it was seen that a forum was required where questions could be asked publicly and equally public responses could be given and information could be disseminated quickly and efficiently to effected and interested parties.

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Stage 1 of the windfarm has had the development conditions modified so that turbines can now be located as close as 60 meters from neighbours boundaries.

Having  turbines so close to neighbours will have significant negative  impact on neighbours and to date Enel has not addressed the concerns.

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A number of Stakeholders have questioned why the turbines cannot be set back within the approved development area in order to mitigate the impact to neighbours and comply with current model  windfarm development conditions for setbacks.

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The Stakeholders are not aware of anywhere in the world where the local authority have granted permission to construct 200 meter high turbines from neighbours boundaries. The potential impact and implications for  this are significant and indeed inconsistent with the Vestas Turbine Operating Manual (See Link Below) which in essence provides for a 500 meter exclusion zone as detail below .

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The Stakeholder Group aims to:

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• educate and exchange information with all relevant decision makers and other stakeholders

• ensure that all proper administrative and legal process is being followed

• ensure that the legal rights and interests of all of the Stakeholders are protected 

• ensure that decision makers and regulators are educated and properly informed,

• ensure that all parties are made aware of potential loss and damage that might be suffered and any potential ensuing legal liabilities i.e. so that foreseeable risks can be avoided  

• provide a forum for those interested parties to have their views aired and considered, and

• ensure that all neighbours are aware of the development conditions and their legal rights and remedies