Glenellen Solar Farm

I’m writing this because I’m afraid and I’m worried for those who live in your community.
This proposal to install solar panels has already caused great division within families and the community in general.
I’m related to people who have been involved in farming here for generations. I’ve listened to those for whom farming is not just a job, it’s a way of life thats been loved and passed down through the family for over a hundred years.
This is prime farming land, when it’s gone it can’t be replaced. As our country continues to grow in population we will need to produce more to provide what is needed. Where are farmers supposed to find land and a community to be able to do this. Because a community is important to farmers as well. We all are aware of the cycles of climate that
affect the productivity of farmers, this is a very productive area because of the land and the love of those who work the land here.
Yes there are those here who would like to take the money, but without thought of how this will impact on those who remain here after they’ve gone. Solar panels don’t need productive land, there is an abundance of land that is suitable for that purpose, in areas that don’t cause problems for others who are trying their best to support the people of Australia.
I’ve listened to farmers talk as well as businesses that provide the services needed by the farmers. These businesses will also be affected by the loss of productive farms.
Please consider all of your fellow citizens and and how their lives will ultimately be affected. Foreign companies will always find somewhere to make money, they are not concerned with the lives of your ratepayers or the fractured families they leave behind.
And when they ultimately leave, what good will the land be for, with so much left in the soil, it will take who knows how long to try and get it to be productive again. And forget the farmers children who would have continued this way of life, they will have been long gone.
Please let them find land elsewhere, somewhere they don’t leave a community divided.

This development will take up prime agricultural land that provides a livelihood to families who live in and support our community. If these agricultural families move out of the area due to not being able to farm then our community suffers. Less school children at our schools, less families supporting our local small businesses. I do not support this solar farm development plan in this area.

I have a number of reasons for objecting to the Glenellen Solar Farm project.
#1 It does not make sense to me to use prime farming land for solar farms when there us much more suitable land that is not ideal for farming that can be used. Utilizing the roof space on houses and businesses that can be plumbed straight into the grid makes more sense than using prime farming land.
#2 The impact on the direct neighbours who not only have to put up with the traffic from vehicles using sometimes small and dusty roads adjacent to their properties but the fact that the view from their properties will go from being beautiful farming land to a paddock full of solar panels.
#3 The fact that property values in the direct area will be reduced by having the solar farms near by. People have worked long and hard to build up their property values with the hope that they will make a profit when they sell and to have an eyesore of a solar farm near by has to affect those property values.
#4 I have great concerns about what will happen to these solar panels when they are passed their use by date. What method will be used to dispose of them and what affect will this have on our environment. Never mind the affect on the land where the solar panels were.
#5 On a personal note I am concerned as a local business owner who relies on the local farmers coming to get repairs done on their machinery that my business will be reduced.
#6 As a member of this small community the planning of these solar farms in our local area has caused lots of uncertainty and disapointment that a better site could not be located so as to not affect as many people. It is very annoying that these large foreign owed companies can come and use our good farming land for their own profit with very little consideration for the affect on our community. My view is the only reason they have chosen our local area and the farms in this area is to utilize the infrastructure of the power station that is already there. This is not a good enough reason to cause so much disruption to other people who will have to put up with the solar farms now and long into the future.
#7 Another point that should be considered is that this area is prone to fog through the winter months. Again it doesn't make sense to put in solar panels in an area that spends a lot of the winter months covered in a thick fog which the sun cannot get through.

This will benefit our town and region. It is clean energy and contributes to the climate change challenges.

Please see attached advice

Dear Rob,
Thank you for the extension in time for Heritage NSW to submit comments on Aboriginal cultural heritage matters.
Regards,
Jackie

Request for information

Having seen first hand a solar farm in operation in the Hunter Valley in the past week, I am aware of the utmost importance of selecting a site for a solar farm that does not impact visually or operationally on the everyday life of an established community.
Safety and maintenance of everyday community life must be the prime consideration. This is not possible with this proposed choice of site so close to homes and families.
Noise and dust pollution will be horrendous over a long period during construction and is likely to seriously affect the physical and mental health of residents in this community.
The projected rise in summer temperature once the solar farm is operational will make life unbearable for this community in a future which is constantly being impacted by climate change issues.
Because the already established community's general well being is paramount there is an urgent need to discontinue this location choice.

I object to the Glenellen solar farm. The reasons for my objection are as follows-

1. I believe the agreed location equates to very poor land use planning. The farm borders many houses (small land holds, under 2.5ha) and properties of which most are on land zoned as "rural residential". Also the township of Jindera is 2.5km away in a straight line which is far too close for a project of this type.
2. Many people in the area have moved to the Jindera/Glenellen region for its rich rural landscapes, semi rural and quite lifestyle whilst enjoying its very close proximity to the township of Jindera and the regional city of Albury. Having a solar farm (industrial complex) close by will negatively impact on those peoples enjoyment of the original reasons for moving out in the first place.
3. The farm in its current form is situated on rich fertile soils with moderate to high rainfall. The productivity of this property is huge with a long history and potentially a long future of producing red meat, hay, grain and wool, all of which will be lost or greatly reduced as a solar farm. The property also has a significant number of very old gum trees as well as remnant vegetation which will need to be cleared. This will be devastating for the native wildlife and local residents.
4. A project of this kind is much better suited to a location which is less densely populated and less productive land uses. The township of Jindera (2.5km away) is a growing one and is expanding. There is a new large estate on Drumwood rd ( approximately 1km away) under development of which are small blocks of land.
5. The mental impact this project is having on the local community cannot be underestimated. It is causing a lot of heart ache and pain for many people especially for those who neighbour the farm. Some of which are contemplating or would like to move away. This project is also decreasing the re-sale value of many of these properties.
6. This proposed solar farm will greatly impact many people and families through increase in road traffic/dust, construction noise and most importantly visual pollution.

Thankyou

Very high visual impact from the development which is planned at 250 metres from my property. This will devalue my property, which is my home and major asset, due to the outlook changing from rural to industrial. I have been advised by the project that a vegetation barrier will take 10 to 15 years to grow and be effective.
I have not seen a vermin management plan. Lindner and Drumwood roads are full of rabbits. Every construction that provides ground shelter is undermined by rabbit burrows. Rabbit burrows cause long term damage and require active wide scale eradication. A perimeter fence will not keep rabbits out, but could help protect them from foxes or dogs and allow them to spread across the entire project area, in addition to destroying my property.

This country has so much land that is unusable, it would be better to have solar panels there. We have good farming land here for crops and animals. Not putting them here would give our younger generation the ability to farm as it should be.

I don't want the solar panels in our local area. I don't think they belong here. They belong on land where you cant do anything else with.

I am writing to express my objection to the proposed Glenellen Solar Farm. My mother and father in-law own and operate the property of ‘Drumwood’ that is located directly opposite the proposed site for this development. I have spent considerable time at the property over a 20 year period and can personally attest to the beauty and tranquillity of the surrounding landscape. I also note the historic values of the’ Drumwood’ property and its heritage listing.
I find the possibility of this rural landscape being lost to an industrial development of this nature repugnant and ask that due consideration is applied to assessing the appropriateness of this location for such a development.
I have a range of concerns, many of which relate to the agricultural values of the land, the location within close proximity to a number of neighbouring properties as well as being in a key growth corridor for the township of Jindera located just 3.5km from the proposed site.
The large scale nature of this Solar Farm, covering some 820 acres will have broad ranging aesthetic impacts on the surrounding residents, with some 84 people directly impacted. The solar panels are proposed to be 5 metres high, this combined with amenity buildings, inverter stations and high voltage substations will dramatically change the immediate landscape from prime agricultural land to a landscape with an industrial appearance. This will be a devastating outcome for the local residents and one they should not be subjected to.
Additional concerns include the dramatic increase in heavy vehicle movements on a road network that is not designed to support such traffic, radiant heat impacts to neighbouring properties, loss of natural vegetation and negative biodiversity impacts.
Based on my noted concerns I request that my objection to this application is considered and that genuine analysis of the impacts is taken into consideration in assessing the future viability of this development.

I am objecting to the proposed solar farm on environmental issues. My concern is that prime agricultural land will be turned into an industrial waste land causing a devaluation in my property. Also during construction noise and traffic movements on local and onsite roads causing dust on my roof which collects water for domestic use.
I also believe that the way the solar panels will be situated which is to the North will increase the temperature when there is a northerly wind which is quite common in summer.

DPIE Crown Lands provides the following comments:
There is one Crown Road located within the proposal area that has an enclosure permit over the area and also an application over the road to close and purchase the road (our ref: W593607); which is not yet finalised. It is noted within the Environmental Impact Statement (now provided), that the applicant acknowledges the existence of a Crown road being located within the proposal area, and the requirement to formalise associated tenure arrangements.
It is noted that the applicant previously made an Application for a Licence over that Crown road for the purpose of power/transmission line (solar farm) on 10 October 2018 (Our Ref 18/07392). That application was unable to be assessed without the requested Environmental Impact Statement. Despite several requests the EIS was not provided and the applicant was formally advised of failure to progress that licence application on the 11 June 2020. Given the timeframe involved this licence has now been marked as not proceeding.
Should the applicant require works to commence prior to finalisation of the road purchase then the applicant should immediately make another Application for Licence over the Crown road – once granted the licence will authorise works. An application to close and purchase a road can take some time to process and further details of the Statutory Process timeframes may be found at https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/lands/access/roads/statutory-process-closing-purchasing-roads
Statutory process for closing and purchasing roads - Crown land in New South Wales - NSW Department of Industry
Statutory process for closing and purchasing roads. This table outlines the statutory process and estimated timeframes for Crown road purchase applications that the NSW Department of Industry approves for sale.
www.industry.nsw.gov.au

There is a small section of potential crown road identified in figure 8-24 of the EIS Document below. Further investigation by District Office has confirmed that this segment is public road (Council) and not Crown Road.

Should proposed site access change, for the proposal area to include any Crown Road or use the Crown Road for access; it is recommended that the Crown Road in question be transferred to Council, or application be made by the applicant to licence and to close and purchase the road.

It is also recommended that the proposal area does not interfere with or encroach on Crown Reserve that exists in close proximity to the most south eastern boundary of the proposal area.

The site where the Solar Farm is to be built is a rural residential area and access roads to it run close by a new housing estate. During construction, these residents will incur high levels of disruption , both in terms of increased traffic and airborne dust. Many of these residents were totally unaware of the proposal to build this solar farm and had they known, would not have elected to build their new homes so close by.
As a resident of Jindera township who regularly walks that way and enjoys the rural atmosphere, I am in disbelief that it would be considered to build a solar farm so close to the township. I totally object to this location for the project.

I support this project. It’s sustainable agriculture and addressing climate change.