Residents reject solar proposal

Developers of a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Trafalgar East have unveiled plans for a 320 hectare solar farm on an adjoining property.
But, farmers and community members have voiced strong objection to the proposal, largely based on the loss of agricultural land for the development.
ib vogt hosted a community information session at Trafalgar last week where plans for the company's hybrid solar farm were discussed.
The company's stage one development includes a 360 MW BESS on land in Rowells Rd. A planning application for the project was lodged with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) in December and is currently awaiting the minister's decision.
The solar farm forms stage two of the development on a separately owned property in Embletons Rd. The proposal includes a 200 MW BESS, a 200 MW solar array, inverters and transformers, prefabricated buildings for control, operation and maintenance, a 220kV substation, internal access roads and boundary fencing.
Like the BESS site, ib vogt said the site had been selected due to its proximity to existing transmission infrastructure, separation from neighbouring properties and location on previously modified land.
Community members are concerned the development will lead to a significant loss of agricultural land.
ib vogt senior development manager Terry Daly admitted community members were concerned the development was taking away agricultural land.
"We are very aware of the agricultural issue. We appreciate this is currently used for cattle and is considered cattle country,.
"It will be still available for agriculture, just not cattle. I know it's cattle country but there's nothing wrong with using it for sheep production," he said.
Mr Daly said the total area of land was 360 hectares, which included two privately owned properties. He said the solar farm was expected to be developed across 320 hectares.
Mr Daly said concerns were similar to previous issues raised in relation to the proposed BESS development, but fire risk and the visual impact on surrounding properties were main concern areas.
He said the fire risk was "complicated" and while there had been two incidents of battery fires in Australia, there was "nowhere near the same level of risk with the solar farm" because there was not the same level of heat as batteries.
He said there had been extensive discussion with the CFA about water tanks on site.
During last week's information session, some residents called for a public meeting where all residents could hear the developer's presentation and hear questions in an open forum. Mr Daly defended the choice to hold an information session rather than a "town hall style event" where only "noisy people" asked questions and dominated the meeting.
Trafalgar East resident Peter Anderson said there was strong opposition expressed by residents at the session, with an exit poll indicating an "overwhelming rejection" of the solar project.
Mr Anderson said community members wanted confirmation of the project's staged footprint and any plans for future expansion.
"The Trafalgar meeting highlighted deep local concern about the proposed solar/BESS development and a strong desire for greater transparency from the developer and clarity from planning authorities.
"Residents are seeking concrete answers about the project's full scope, community benefits, and the process by which decisions will be made," he said.
Mr Anderson said residents also wanted clear information on proposed community benefits and how they would be delivered by ib vogt.
A planning permit application for stage two, the hybrid solar farm, is expected to be lodged with DTP this month.