State Significant Development
Stubbo Solar Farm
Mid-Western Regional
Current Status: Determination
Interact with the stages for their names
- SEARs
- Prepare EIS
- Exhibition
- Collate Submissions
- Response to Submissions
- Assessment
- Recommendation
- Determination
Development of a 400 MW solar farm with energy storage and associated infrastructure.
Consolidated Consent
Modifications
Archive
Request for SEARs (1)
SEARs (1)
EIS (11)
Response to Submissions (2)
Amendments (12)
Additional Information (2)
Determination (3)
Post-determination Notices (1)
Approved Documents
Management Plans and Strategies (29)
Independent Reviews and Audits (2)
Notifications (9)
Other Documents (7)
Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.
Complaints
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Make a ComplaintEnforcements
There are no enforcements for this project.
Inspections
10/11/2022
8/05/2024
Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.
Submissions
Glen O'Brien
Support
Glen O'Brien
Message
The Ulan Village Green was opened for business in November 2019. As part of Stage one it has current capacity for 52 persons. Meals are served for breakfast and dinner and a crib lunch is also provided, in the Kitchen/ mess or in the rooms. We cater for Covid restrictions implementing meals served in the rooms- this is still available as an option). There are also laundry, Gym and Recreation room facilities available. Stage two allows us to provide up to 144 rooms.
We support the STUBBO solar farm as it would support the local community, it would keep people off the roads driving many kilometres after a long day work. The Ulan Village Green employs local people and also supports local businesses by purchasing produce, stock and subcontracting services.
Typically we cater for contractors and maintenance types that come and go from the mines. So we would expect that this type of accommodation would suit the engineers, managers and supervisors from the solar farm plus any external senior managers that visit site from time to time. Additionally, any specialist technicians that may come to the Solar farm and or substation, like commissioning technicians, would be able to use the Ulan Village Green because it is close to site and eliminates the fatigue of driving all the way back into Mudgee. ( this has always been the purpose of the UVG, as the mines have had issues with driver fatigue on their mine sites after a long days work and then driving back to Mudgee). Laborers such as Trade Assistants (TA's)- tend to look for cheaper self catering type accommodation rather than stay at Motel style accomm like the UVG. But as a short term option we have seen Temp workers stay here until they find more permanent accommodation. ( and if they weighed up the cost of meals and the travel costs it is very close to being more cost effective to stay at the UVG anyway!)
Vehicles could also be minimised off the road by using buses to transport workers from one central facility.
I have attached a PDF document - initially that was for our team as part of the Wollar project- that gives more details, refer the last 3 pages of that document- but Ulan Village Green as it currently stands, under our DA for housing "Temporary Workers", would accommodate those Specialist Technicians that are required to come and go from site, Engineers on a 2 weeks on 1 week off type arrangement and supervisors in a similar situation.
REFER TO OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO. www.ulanvillagegreen.com.au
We hope to see the STUBBO Solar farm proceed as it will support our business and many more from the region.
Rural Fire Service
Comment
Rural Fire Service
Essential Energy
Comment
Essential Energy
Name Withheld
Object
Name Withheld
Message
SSD-10452
Jonathan Seis
13 Bowman St, Gulgong
NSW 2852
I object to the proposed Stubbo Solar Farm, Blue Springs Rd STUBBO on the following grounds, but not limited to:
- Increased traffic on Cope Rd. A road which already has periods of high traffic throughout the day.
- Concerns that access/emergency road via Barneys Reef Rd will be used for construction purposes, or for access purposes other than an emergency.
- My family’s main water supply (a well) is adjacent to the project. There is a concern that batteries will leak, thus contaminating the soil, creeks, and water supply.
It is also noted in the EIS that a preferential option for water to be used for construction could be sourced (opportunistically) from farm dams located in the study area. If this sourcing were to occur, how will it be ensured that the dams used are not sourced from the groundwater?
- Lightning strikes. The EIS has rated the risk of lightning strike as highly unlikely. This area has one of the highest rates of lightning strikes in the state, so it is a distinct possibility. Earthing the solar panels may direct the lightning away from the solar panels, but significant damage could still result from a lightning strike to the ground.
- Controlling bushfires. How effectively can a fire be contained/controlled once started if firefighting personnel must contend with approximately 800,000 solar panels? Does fire affect the integrity of the batteries on the project? What is the Fire Management Plan?
- Concern that noxious weeds will not be controlled and may spread to neighbouring land.
- The speed at which the project is proceeding, which is evident with the lack of consultation with neighbouring landowners (of which my family’s land is one of the largest, if not the largest boundary to be affected). Stubbo Solar Farm boasted on social media that it had contacted its neighbours and when confronted by myself they admitted that they had not contacted all their neighbours, and even after this they took several weeks to contact them. At the community information session, a representative of Stubbo Solar Farm promised that he would come out to the family property and have a face-to-face discussion, but this still has not happened. That conversation was at the end of October.
- Concern regarding how dust and noise are to be controlled. The soil type is granite based, of which silica is a major component, which can cause respiratory conditions such as silicosis. Is there to be any sound, noise, dust, or vibration monitoring by independent bodies at neighbouring properties both during construction phase and operational phase? A thick buffer zone of native trees and shrubs need to be surrounding the site to help with noise and the unsightly aesthetic aspect of the site if the project is approved.
- Has there been a thorough environmental study to determine whether any endangered native species will be affected? The EIS refers to a potential loss of habitat for the Barking Owl, which the NSW Government has determined is a vulnerable species.
I have not made any political donations of any kind in the last 2 years.
Name Withheld
Object
Name Withheld
Message
1.The stated jobs will not benefit the local community. The said jobs, will only be temporary. The site currently support local agro based businesses such as CRT , contractors for land tiling, weeding , shearing sheep, sale yards personnel, stock carting businesses etc. If viable farming land is taken away, these jobs will disappear all for the sake of a handful of permanent jobs.
2.Visual pollution to the town of Gulgong as the town is on a higher elevation to the site
3. No compensation to surrounding properties
4. Noise effects to the town residents
5. Non compliance with Council's Local Environmental Plan zoning of the relevant land -RU1
6. Permanent loss of farm work to residents and businesses
7. Use of valuable water resources
8. Contamination of soil and water if the panels get damaged by storms or animals
9.Increase of fire hazard and poor weed management as there will be no or little monitoring of site
10. What is the decommissioning plan?