Hay Solar Farm

Project supported subject to enclosed issues being resolved.

See attached advice.

See attached advice.

See attached advice.

See attached advice.

See attached advice.

See attached advice.

Submission attached

Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. owns and operates a highly popular, community accessed asset in the form of a target shooting complex located on Sidonia Rd. Hay, which is adjacent to, and affected by the proposed Hay NSW solar farm.
This sporting facility is wholly managed by local residents in the form of SSAA (NSW) Hay Branch Inc.
As a background to the local Branch and facilities, the Hay Pistol Club was established in 1978, with the SSAA NSW Rifle Range constructed in 1997, and SSAA Shotgun range in 2009, all of these at the current location.
All operations and ranges were merged under the one Club - SSAA (NSW) Hay Branch Inc. in 2009 when we purchased 27 acres of land where the Pistol ranges & main facilities are located. Later, in 2010, we purchased an additional 46 acres on which the rifle range is located. Our shotgun competitions are conducted over both these pieces of land. A crown road dividing these two parcels of land was closed and purchased by SSAA NSW in 2012 thus consolidating ownership by SSAA NSW of the entire shooting range complex
Since this time, we have established and improved our main infrastructure such as a new clubhouse, new shower & toilet blocks, upgraded ranges facilities etc to the tune of approximately $200,000 mainly through grants and significant labour input by our club members.
Unfortunately, as a result of the solar farm project, largescale infrastructure and earthworks for the rifle range section of the complex are required to overcome the placement of solar panels in the current Range Danger Area. The Range Danger Area is defined as the area of land or water, together with a specified air space, within which danger to life, limb or property may occur in the event of a projectile escaping the confines of the range.
To comply with all safety requirements and maintain approval by the NSW Police Firearms Registry the range will need to be reconfigured from a 7.62 NATO template to a Limited Danger Area template. This will involve raising the stop butts, constructing sidewalls and ballistic baffling to comply, and will also involve a reduction in range length from 300 metres to 200 metres.
These works are realistically expected to be in the vicinity of $250,000 which will place a major financial strain on the Association in gaining finance for such an extensive project. However, in discussions the proponents, Overland Sun Farming, have offered financial assistance to bring about the abovementioned modifications which would certainly relieve the financial burden on the Association. Such a commitment would certainly prove the companies good will towards the local community and no doubt garner further support for the project both now and into the future.
The purpose of this submission is to have our above interest noted as adjoining landowners. We do not wish to formally object to this proposed development, however, we are concerned with the impact this Solar Farm will have on our current activities and ongoing use of our long standing & well-established facilities.
Given Overland Sun Farming's proposed investment in our community, we are more than receptive to working with Overland Sun Farming to come to a mutually acceptable arrangement in modifying our facilities to accommodate their proposed Solar Farm.