Springdale Solar Farm

I object to the solar farm.

The solar farm is proposed within 5kms exclusion zone of development.
I would like the rural character of the region continued.

I object.

The solar farm is an intensive use of land and not pleasing to the
eye.

I object to this solar farm.

The farm land is beautiful, I don't want to see it recked.

I object to this solar farm.

The farm land is beautiful, I don't want to see it recked.

I am a Canberra resident, and although I am not a member of any political
party, I am proud of the comittment the ACT Government has made to
100% renewable electricity generation. The Springvale Solar Farm at
Sutton is a significant component of this commitment. For the sake of
the climate and the whole world, we need to get serious about making
renewable energy happen. We all need to urgently reduce carbon
emissions. This greater good needs to trump objections from local land
holders, who after all will also be receiving some income from the
farm.
This Solar farm will produce enough energy to power 35000 average
homes, which is significant.
Renew estate is an Australian company who will creat Australian jobs
in contructing this farm.
I urge the Dept to approve this application.

I strongly support the Springdale Solar farm near Sutton in the Canberra
region. I have personally installed rooftop solar panels since 2009
but we need larger commercial farms in order to increase our renewable
energy production and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels. There are
many advantages including increased employment, reduced carbon
emissions , increased income to local community through compensation
and land use, and the development of the Australian Solar Industry.

The project will generate enough energy to power approximately 35,000
average Australian homes. According to 2016 statistics this is
sufficient to power 3 towns the size of Goulburn. Thus it will make a
significant contribution to reducing green house gases from coal
powered stations.
It is conveniently located near high voltage transmission lines,
reducing power losses and infrastructure cost (ie. minimal wires
required to feed into high voltage grid).
The local community will benefit financially, helping in a small way
to the decentralisation of the Australian population.

I support the proposed solar farm.

It is much more efficient to encourage mass solar farming than
subsidise small capital intensive solar on suburban roofs. Both are
unsightly, but the benefit to the environment of moving to solar
outweighs this cost.

This proposal is socially responsible and deserves support.

Dear Madam/Sir,

Re: Objection to the proposed Springdale Solar Farm (Sutton)

I would like to formally register my objection to the proposed solar
development known as the Springdale Solar Farm, near Sutton NSW 2620.
I am concerned that the solar farm is a negative development for
Sutton due to a number of factors.

Firstly, in terms of biodiversity, the development can only have a
negative effect on the native flora and fauna, in an area that is
already recognised as fragile and important part of the greater
Goorooyarroo zone. There are many species, including some threatened
animals such as legless lizards that will be impacted.

The solar farm also poses a major fire hazard to the area. It also
significantly impacts on the ability to utilise land to the most
environmentally friendly effect.

Thirdly, this will have a negative socio-economic benefit for the
area, as the facility will reduce the aesthetic benefits that accrue
from rural land close to urban areas. There is supposed to be an
exclusion on intensive development in the area, and surely this is a
very intensive development. It will destroy the hard work of Yass
people in building Yass as a rural area with wineries, cottage
industries and other long term employment opportunities.

Thanking you in anticipation,

I would like to formally register my strong objection to the proposed
solar development known as the Springdale Solar Farm, near Sutton NSW
2620.
As a direct neighbour to the proposal, I am concerned that the solar
farm is a negative development for the Sutton area due to a number of
factors.

Firstly, in terms of biodiversity, the development can only have a
deleterious effect on the native flora and fauna, in an area that is
already recognised as fragile and important as part of the greater
Goorooyarroo zone. It is cynical in the extreme for the ACT Govt to
develop an area just outside their borders, without consideration of
the environmental impacts.

The proposal poses a major fire hazard to our properties. It also
significantly decreases the value of our property, and impacts on our
ability to utilise our land to most environmentally friendly effect.
The solar farm, changing the land usage, will hinder our efforts at
feral pest control by placing a commercial facility in a rural
environment. This has safety considerations in terms of the lethal
methods of feral pest control (shooting, baiting etc.) currently
safely used in the area.

Thirdly, this will have a negative socio-economic benefit for the
area, as the facility will reduce the ascetic benefits that accrue
from rural land close to urban areas. No direct benefit will come from
the farm, except for the developers and remote investors.

As a direct neighbour to the development, I have not been consulted in
any direct format by the developers. I would therefore welcome the
chance to discuss this matter with the relevant decision maker in your
department.

Thanking you in anticipation,

7th August 2018

Planning Services
Department of Planning and Environment
GPO Box 39
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Attention: Director - Resources and Energy Assessment

Dear Director

Re: Objection Submission To Proposed Springdale Solar Development

My family and I have been fortunate to reside within the rural
residential area surrounding Canberra for almost 45 years. I have seen
firsthand the progression and development as this area has grown,
bringing many families and considerable development.

Now the area is facing an industrial size solar development which does
not fit the rural residential lifestyle that we and many others have
chosen for our family.

This proposed development is having a very negative impact on me and
my family, as my sister's family home is directly impacted. My sister
upon returning to Canberra after several years wanted the lifestyle
for her family, that our parents had provided us. "The rural
residential lifestyle" - the ability to live rurally but still educate
and work within Canberra. The Springdale Solar Development is now
consuming her on a daily basis, causing considerable stress and
financial concerns. This is all added pressure whilst undergoing
considerable and extensive testing to give the gift of life through a
possible donation of a kidney to myself. A donor must undergo rigorous
testing both physically and mentally and this regrettable stress may
result in her being assessed as emotionally/mentally unable to donate
even though she is the incredibly rare perfect donor match.

All residents within the area are concerned about the financial impact
on their personal homes (the biggest investment a family will ever
have). I know personally I would never purchase a property which
directly adjoins a solar farm of this magnitude and I am sure most
people would feel the same.

Many residents are concerned about the safety of children, the impact
on flora and fauna and native animals with the area and what health
impact will a solar development have on individuals. Other concerns if
the development was to go ahead relate to current roads and increase
in traffic, the increase in transient population and the potential
decrease in land values within the area (who would assess and how
could residents be compensated?)

Australia is a vast country; much of Australia has open land that
would be well equipped to accommodate a large industrial solar farm
development. Is Sutton the best location, undoubtable `NO'. Canberra
during the winter months may not see sunlight until lunchtime which
would not be conducive to generating electricity.

I am not opposed to progression or development - but I am opposed to
the proposed Springdale Solar Development proposal. It is my hope that
common sense prevails and the proposal is rejected in the best
interest of all residents within the Sutton and surround areas.

Yours Sincerely

Georgi

I support the building of a solar farm. I would be happy to have one in
my view as I think reflections would be similar to those off water.

The expansion of solar generation along with other renewable energy
capacity is necessary to replace greenhouse gas emitting alternatives.
The Sutton site has the benefit of proximity to a large electricity
consumer, the city of Canberra, minimising transmission losses. As
long as affected landholders are compensated for earnings loss
commensurate with the land use designation, and for loss of aesthetic
amenity, I support this project.

My objections to the proposed Springdale Solar Farm are:
1. Location. The NSW State Govt. has identified 3 main regions in NSW
that are considered renewable energy zones. Sutton is not in one of
those zones. The impact of this solar farm infrastructure and the
subsequent fencing will destroy the existing undulating, sustainable,
biodiversity areas that provide natural habitats for wildlife. The
loss of this habitat will have a huge impact on the local flora and
fauna.There is also a large nature reserve close by.
2. Traffic through the Sutton Village during and after construction.
The village is residential. There is a Primary School with nearly 300
children attending daily, Day Care Centre, Bakery, General Store and
Post Office and Real Estate Agency all on the route. The quantity of,
and noise of the trucks and traffic as they try to negotiate 3 sharp
right angled bends in the village with one of these an ancient narrow
creek crossing, to access Tallagandra Lane is unacceptable. The roads
are rural and narrow and not suitable for heavy traffic.
3. Fire risk. Sutton recently was exposed to a fast moving bush fire
that started near this farm. The prevailing westerly wind brought the
fire dangerously close to the village in a very short time. This
proposed solar farm will be heavily fenced so the need to access it to
fight a fire will be difficult or impossible. Also no town water
supply is available on this site.
4. Flight path of birds. Recent research is finding that birds are
impacted from hitting the panels in large solar farms. This impact is
unacceptable in this rural, natural, agricultural land.
5. If the construction of this solar farm is for the ACT and the ACT
Government's green power targets, it should be built in the ACT and
not on prime grazing land in NSW.
Suzanne Davidson

To Whom It May Concern,
Please accept my objection to the proposed Springdale Solar
Development to be located in Sutton.
There are several reasons for my objection which are as follows:
. The location of the proposed development and the impact on the
neighbours (the closest neighbour will be approximately 300m away, how
will the development affect access to their property?) and surrounding
area;
. The impact it will have visually to the surrounding area;
. The impact it will have on the nearby Reserve at Mulligans Flat;
. How will this affect the native wildlife of the region, turtles,
shinglebacks, kangaroos, echidnas, and the native birds And how this
massive complex will impact on their flight paths;
. Failure to disclose that this key area of land provides connectivity
between on of the largest remaining and most intact contiguous area of
yellow box, red gum and grassy woodland within NSW;
. The proposed thought of planting a corridor of trees to screen the
solar farm, well that is absurd considering the rate of growth of some
species and the longevity of those species;
. The enormity of the proposed scale of the project is just to hard to
comprehend, and why there, why not some land that is unusually and has
little or no impact on the neighbours and surrounding area;
. What will the impact of traffic to the Sutton area be? Village
residence have already raised concerns with the current flow through
traffic.

I am all for renewable energy, but I say NO to this proposal. Right
idea but it is truly the wrong location.

I object to the sutton solor farm as i feel the location is not suitable
for such a project. I am all for renewable energy but location is a
key factor.
Sutton is in an area where in winter a thick fog can stay around to at
least midday and even when the fog does lift Sutton does experience
very cloudy/overcast days for the majority of autum/winter.
The area where the solor farm is proposed to go is prime agricultural
land, there are many places in this country that are not viable for
livestock or cropping, why not install a solor farm there?

I am a local land holder and have lived in the sutton area my entire
life. This development will drastically devalue my property as people
flock to this area for a rural lifestyle change, a solor farm is not
what people expect or pay for in this particular area being so close
to Canberra.
What is going to be done with the roads to and from this proposed
development? The current roads are certainly not up to scratch to
handle all the additional traffic let alone the amount of heavy
vechicles required?
What benefit is there for the Yass Valley Region?

It is with great concern that I make this submission, requesting at a
minimum the matter receiving further deliberation by the Planning
Commission.

It is important to note that I strongly support renewable energy, but
that careful consideration needs to be given to the location of solar
farms based on their impact on flora and fauna and health and amenity
considerations to neighbouring properties.

I have spent much of my childhood in this district, and my family
continue to farm in the area, having recently invested substantially
in tree plantings to improve the land.

The area is prime agricultural land. While the rest of NSW is in
drought, this area has faired somewhat better. It is less likely to
suffer the imminent effects of desertification and should be retained
as a prime food bowl for all Australians.

The area is also home to flora and fauna, which is increasingly
endangered, particularly given the expansion of Gungalin into the
Mulligan's Flat area.

The health impact of living next to a solar farm of this size is
largely undocumented. It requires further research and consideration
before it should be allowed.

Most importantly, the NSW Government itself has nominated areas that
have been deemed suitable for such developments. These are far from
the location of this proposed development, raising serious questions
about the usefulness of the NSW Government having made the
recommendations. It is also important to note that the locations
proposed by the NSW Government do not have any of the characteristics
of this location. It can only be assumed that this would mean that
this location does not meet the NSW Government's suitability
requirements.

Under these circumstances, if the development is permitted in the
area, and causes damage to the environment and neighbouring
properties, a legal action may be mounted against the owners and Yass
Council as the approving authority.

Under these circumstances, Yass Council should not approve the
development and should refer it to the Planning Commission for further
investigation.

I support the Sutton Solar Action Group in their objection to the solar
farm and agree with the environmental concerns raised

If the statements listed below are true
I wonder on the mentality of planners when there is such blatant
statements high lighting that there is no "benefit" to the Sutton
region
*The developer has stated that the power generated is for the ACT, not
NSW

* NSW Department of Environment, the Yass Valley Council and the ACT
Government all SUPPORT a 5km exclusion zone from the ACT border, to
exclude intensive development of the area and retain the rural
character of the region
- An 850-acre solar facility is INTENSIVE development

Who is benefiting?

If the solar farm goes ahead, I am concerned about the amount of traffic
on a dirt road. Consideration should be given to laying bitumen on
Tallagandra Lane along the thoroughfare.

I am also concerned about the resale value of properties in the
vicinity of the solar farm. Can we be assured there will not be any
impact on the value of our properties?