The Independent Planning Commission has approved changes to the development consent for the Crudine Ridge Wind Farm, which will a decrease in the number of turbines and an increase in the amount of vegetation clearing permitted along Aarons Pass Road.
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On Friday the Commission determined to approve the modification application. Their Statement of Reasons for Decision, concluded that the upgrades to Aarons Pass Road are necessary to facilitate construction.
And that the reduction in the number of turbines will reduce overall project impacts within the locality and will provide an additional benefit due to the retention of biodiversity offsets required under the project approval.
Undertaking the improvements to Aarons Pass Road will have some short-term disruptions, but the long-term benefits will be much more improved and safer road access.
- Brendan McAvoy, CWP Renewables project director
Crudine Ridge Wind Farm Nominees Pty Ltd sought to reduce from 77 to 37 the number of turbines earmarked in order to align its existing development consent with the terms of the Commonwealth Government approval. The company also wanted to revise the road design for Aarons Pass Road, which would require the clearing of an additional five hectares of vegetation.
After the Department of Planning and Environment received more than 25 public objections to the proposal it referred it the IPC. They held a public meeting at Pyramul on Tuesday, June 11, to listen to the community's views.
Those in favour spoke about the economic benefits to host landholders and local businesses, as well as the improvements to safety through the road upgrade; while those opposed raised concerns about the environmental and ecological impacts of the vegetation clearing.
Work on the road ceased following concerns raised by locals about the extent of tree clearing along the road and CWP Renewables determined that they would exceed what they were permitted to remove. The company was then fined $15,000 by the DPE, after it was found to have breached its conditions of consent by commencing construction of the wind farm without first upgrading the nearby Aarons Pass Road.
However, with the project modifications now green-lit by both the DPE and IPC, the upgrading of the road and construction of the wind farm can now proceed. CWP Renewables' project director, Brendan McAvoy, said, "based on the approval, we expect to restart works by the end of July".
"The wind farm consists of 37 wind turbines," he said. "To ensure the safe delivery of the turbines and the blades, we sought to amend the clearance along on Aarons Pass Road.
"We have been working with local landholders and undertaking the improvements to Aarons Pass Road will have some short-term disruptions, but the long-term benefits will be much more improved and safer road access."
The company said that the project will employ up to 240 people during the construction period with 45 staff already based in Mudgee. This includes constructing a new substation, 15km of transmission lines and 50km of internal roads to erect and service the turbines.
Furthermore, two community funds will be established to raise $3.3 million over the 20-year life of the project. The 134-megawatt facility, to be located 45km south of Mudgee, is expected to generate electricity to power 55,000 homes each year.
And that even though the amount of vegetation clearing for the road upgrades has been increased, the modification to have 40 fewer turbines reduces total clearing by 25Ha or almost a quarter.
The IPC imposed conditions on its approval, designed to; prevent, minimise and/or offset adverse environmental impacts; set standards and performance measures for acceptable environmental performance; require regular monitoring and reporting; and provide for the on-going environmental management of the development.
The full Statement of Reasons for Decision is available here.
