Winterbourne Wind Farm

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I strongly support the wind farm project because it will contribute a 3% reduction in NSW’s ( and Australia’s) emissions and help achieve our 2030 emission reduction target

Great to see a major green energy project happening in NSW! Not only creating green energy but also creating many jobs in the area. Great also to see the company giving back to the community, not just the landholders that have the wind turbines etc.
Lets get this thing going!

As someone who will be living in the world we are creating right now, I am in support of this project as I know the only way forward for environmental sustainability is to act now. Winterbourne wind is an excellent way to place a sustainable energy source on our earth, and it will only have a positive impact on my future. With its contribution alone, 3% of the NSW 2030 emissions reductions target will be reached, and it will become an example for so many other programs that will improve our environmental impact. Without even considering the economic benefits of this decision, or the jobs it will provide to so many people across the state, I am in complete support of this project because, as they say, there is no planet B.

I am strongly in support of the Winterbourne Wind farm.

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WINTERBOURNE WIND FARM | APPLICATION NO. SSD-10471
IN SUPPORT OF THE WINTERBOURNE WIND FARM for the following reasons:
1. The new EIS for this project has been amended and key changes have been made to the project to allay community concerns as a result of the submissions to the original EIS lodged in November 2022.
The Developer (Copenhagen Infrastructure Group and Vestas) has listened to the community concerns and amended the project to minimise the adverse social impacts and environmental impacts whilst maintaining the viability of the project.

2. The original group of landowners (10 adjoining farmers) who formed Walcha Wind Pty have worked on this project co-operatively over the last 20 years to try and see this project to fruition. They devised the original Lease Agreement and developed a Code of Conduct as well as proposed a very generous Community Benefit Fund for the community for a prospective Developer. The refined Lease Agreement, the Code of Conduct and the Community Benefit Fund have been used as a template for proposed wind farms all over Australia. To have 10 adjoining landowners working together co-operatively on a wind farm project is unique as is the location of the Winterbourne Wind Farm and this situation is likely never to be repeated. This project was on the drawing board long before the REZs were thought of. NSW Planning should not squander this opportunity.

3. The Developer has reduced the traffic impacts during construction by proposing internal gravel quarries to supply gravel, aggregate and potential bedding material required for the project. As well, proposed access to identified bore water supplies will take thousands of truck movements from having to travel through Walcha.


4 The Developer has signed a VPA Agreement with Walcha and Uralla Councils to accept and manage the generous Community Benefit Funds.

5 The Developer has changed the route of the oversized loads which will carry the turbine components from the Oxley Highway from Bendemeer to Walcha to a new route which takes the trucks along the New England Highway to Uralla and then along Thunderbolts Way to Walcha from Uralla. The anti-wind lobby groups complained incessantly about the Oxley Highway route and the new Thunderbolts Way route is the only other option which is available to the Developer.


6 The project has the potential to generate a worthwhile amount of clean renewable energy each year that is enough to power more than 375,000 homes.

7 The project will provide opportunities for new jobs in the region as well as provide stimulus to Walcha’s local economy through wages, accommodation, tourism and eventually provide jobs for another 16 Full-time employees. During construction, the local Walcha businesses will benefit from the 390 Full time employees in the area with their wages, stimulating the whole Walcha economy giving our local restaurants, cafes, hotels and accommodation providers a much needed boost.

8 The Winterbourne Wind Farm project will provide a reliable income source for many families who rely solely on agriculture for their livelihoods. This income will assist in times of droughts and low commodity prices and so improve their resilience. This will help future generations of farmers stay on the land and cope with the impacts of climate change.



9. The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Wilderness were severely impacted by the devastating drought and fires in 2019 to the extent that much of the biodiversity has been destroyed or severely compromised. These impacts have been exacerbated by climate change and any wind turbines in the Winterbourne Wind Farm will have zero impact on the biodiversity of the area compared to the damage cause in 2019. In the future, another fire in this area will be horrendous due to the fuel load with the unprecedented eucalyptus regrowth and this has the potential to change the landscape forever. It is therefore imperative that action is taken to reduce the CO2 emissions so that our National Parks and Wilderness areas will still be there in hundreds of years.

10. Our community needs to accept the fact that climate change is real (based on the science) and that we all need to play our part in trying to mitigate its impacts.

11. This project will bring substantial income to the Walcha District and provide hundreds of jobs during construction which will give a real economic and social boost to the area. As demonstrated by the Bureau of Statistics, our population is predicted to substantially decline by 2040 so this project is vital to reverse this decline.

12. The Community needs greater approval and timing certainty for this project. For the last 5 years average approval timeframes in NSW for WIND SSD projects have taken 3488 days compared to South Australia which is 533 days, Victoria which is 384 days and Queensland which is 190 days. NSW Planning needs to streamline its processes to give investors and participants more certainty and encouragement to be involved in these projects.

13. With Eraring Power Station scheduled for closure in 2027, there is currently not enough completed renewable energy projects that will replace the 2,880MW loss of electricity so the 730MW Winterbourne Wind Farm project is essential as it is ready to commence but is being held up by delayed and convoluted processes. We implore the Dept of Planning to approve this project as a matter of urgency.

I am writing to express my strong support for the Winterbourne Wind Farm project, particularly in light of the extensive efforts made regarding the transport route survey from the port to the wind farm site.
The meticulous planning and evaluation of the transport routes underscore a commitment to both safety and efficiency, ensuring minimal disruption to the local community and environment during the construction phase. By proactively addressing potential challenges and optimizing the logistics of transporting equipment, Winterbourne Wind Farm is setting a commendable standard for renewable energy projects.
This transport route survey not only reflects a dedication to responsible development but also highlights the project's role in contributing to a sustainable energy future. Investing in renewable energy infrastructure is essential for reducing our carbon footprint and combating climate change, and Winterbourne Wind Farm is at the forefront of this vital transition.
I encourage continued support for this project, which promises to bring both environmental benefits and economic opportunities to the region.
Thank you for considering my support for the Winterbourne Wind Farm.

I am making a submission in support of the Winterbourne Wind Farm project

WINTERBOURNE WIND FARM | APPLICATION NO. SSD-10471 -page 1

REASONS FOR SUPPORT

I declare that I am a landowner who stands to financially benefit from the Winterbourne Wind Farm project. I made many comments in my first submission which I will not repeat here but will concentrate on issues addressed in latest EIS and comments from anti renewable groups in the community.

1. There is much recent talk about how nuclear power plants will be the solution to Australia being able to meet its net zero targets by 2050. Whilst Australian Govt legislation currently bans the development of nuclear power in Australia, a change of government could see this legislation abandoned which could see a pathway for the development of nuclear power stations in Australia.
Nuclear power could well be part of the energy mix in the future but the latest Gencost Report from the CSIRO and The Australian Energy Market Operator released in May 2024 found that nuclear power currently exceeds the cost of current wind and solar energy and that wind and solar still have the lowest cost range of any new build electricity generation technologies. As well, long lead times for development means that nuclear will not be able to make a significant contribution to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 given the fact that the total development time will be at least 15-20 years.

To back up this report, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis released a report in Sept 2024 after analysing examples of international nuclear power construction projects and the report has concluded that if nuclear power plants were constructed in Australia, they would significantly increase power bills.

Given this information and the fact that the current coal fired power stations in Australia are beginning to shut down and are shutting down ahead of schedule, our only option to keep the lights on and create a reliable electricity supply for the next 20-25 years is to develop wind and solar farms.

2. I support the NSW State Government’s aim to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050 and the renewable energy projects that are currently proposed in the Renewable Energy Zones.

3. The anti-renewable groups in the Walcha community state that they have MAJORITY support in the
Community. At the recent local government Council elections, 6 members of the anti-groups stood for election on Council. 4 Candidates from the anti wind farm groups were elected to Walcha Council and they received a total of 33% of the primary vote from the 1945 people who voted. 67% of the community did not vote for them. This is a far more accurate assessment of the community sentiment than the flawed survey that was conducted in 2023 where they maintain that they are supported by 80% of the community. This project does have majority support of the Community.

4. There are a few wind turbines that are 6.5kms from the Walcha township but the majority of wind turbines are at least 15-30 kms from the town. The leaders of the anti groups live at least 9kms from any turbine and some live more than 60kms from the turbines.

5. The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Wilderness areas were severely affected by the devastating 2019 drought and bushfires and those events have had a far greater impact on the biodiversity of these areas than any wind turbines will ever have so climate change events have had a massive impact on its biodiversity. We need to address theses impacts with the best possible solutions rather than trying to denigrate a project by not even mentioning the impacts of 2019 or not even visiting the areas where the devastation occurred
6. The Developer has engaged with all the host landowners in a meaningful and considered way and all the concerns have been discussed and dealt with over a long period of time. The Landowners were involved in the development of the Lease Agreements as well as the Code of Conduct. The anti wind farm groups came into being AFTER the Landowners had voluntarily signed their legally binding Lease Agreements with the Developer.

7. Members of the anti wind farm groups have spread misinformation about the project, bullied, abused, harassed, interrogated and criticised the Developer and criticised the Landowners with behaviour that is akin to “coercive control”. They have also spread a lot of misinformation to scare our local citizens. It is no wonder that the Developer and Landowners have wanted to have minimal contact with them. When the anti-groups formed a couple of years ago we had already voluntarily signed legally binding Lease Agreements with Vestas. This made the attacks on the landowners by a handful of people untenable and unacceptable.

8. The Community Benefit Fund for this project is one of the most generous CBFs for a wind farm in Australia. This fund will assist our community to create legacy projects that will benefit us, our children and generations to come.

9. All the initial concerns raised by the community and anti-wind groups as a result of the initial EIS have been addressed in the new EIS including changing the location of some turbines, transport issues,road issues, noise issues and environmental issues but a handful of anti wind activists have now raised NEW concerns. Their motivation is unclear but it appears that these groups are being funded by unknown sources for political gain.

10. This project will have positive impacts on our local businesses and tourism and has the potential to create new job opportunities in Walcha.

11. The Landowners involved in this project involves approximately 40 families who have seen this development as an opportunity to diversify their income, provide funds for retirement, educate their families and assist with succession planning as well as contributing significant funds to the Walcha Community and attracting new businesses to the area.

12. The Developer has done everything in its power to minimise the negative impacts of this project but ALL IMPACTS CANNOT BE DELETED. It is part of the nature of new development. Some people will be more impacted than others with this project and those people are the Landowners and their neighbours, and they have mostly agreed to tolerate these impacts during the construction period as well as for the life of the development.

13. The original group of landowners (10 adjoining farmers) have worked on this project co-operatively over the last 20 years to try and see this project to fruition. They devised the original Lease Agreement and developed a Code of Conduct as well as proposed a very generous Community Benefit Fund for the community for a prospective Developer. The refined Lease Agreement, the Code of Conduct and the Community Benefit Fund have been used as a template for proposed wind farms all over Australia. To have 10 adjoining landowners working together co-operatively on a wind farm project is unique as is the location of the Winterbourne Wind Farm and this situation is likely never to be repeated.

14. As a small rural community that has an ideal wind resource for building a wind farm, we need to do our best to embrace solutions that are being offered to address the climate crisis which is resulting in severe weather events in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and the emissions of greenhouse gases.

I strongly support the project on the basis of the project contributing to Australia and NSW's 2030 emissions reduction targets

The EIS reports listed the thorough studies/assessments and the robust layout design. The design reflects the submissions in the first public exhibition. The mitigations recommended by the developer and the independent third parties make sense to me.
Based on all the info available to me, I support the project. Hope it will be approved, constructed and generate electricity asap.
Thanks for the opportunity for making a submission to such a major project.

Besides the renewable energy production, wind farm requires minimal water use during operation compared to fossil fuel extraction and processing. Also, winterbourne wind farm have low operating costs and provide long-term production to the local community and broader australia.
In addition, Winterbourne wind farm proposes a great community benefit fund which will boost the local community.
Therefore, I am in support of this project.

As a young person, I am particularly concerned about climate change, and investing in renewable energy projects like this one is the best way to address it. This project, which has gone through extensive quality checking, consultation, and reformulation, will help reach NSW's emissions target and help transition away from fossil fuels. The project has also been carefully tailored such that its positive impacts on the Walcha and Uralla communities are maximised (jobs, investment) while its negative impacts are minimised, with the companies involved consulting extensively with locals.

I believe that Winterbourne Wind Farm should go ahead.
Having assisted in progression and optimisation of the civil and electrical layout of the Winterbourne Wind Farm, I can confirm that the project has been amended with minimisation of impact to biodiversity and community in mind. The projects design has been through multiple rounds of refining to date, each round, reducing the impacts of overall footprint. Resulting in a clear reduction to impact on biodiversity each time, with more refining still to come prior to construction. Leveraging my skills in civil design, I can verify that the assumptions made in designing the civil layout are applicable and contain a reasonable level of conservatism based upon the geotechnical data available.
Additionally, I believe the following points are important to consider:
• The project will establish a Community Benefit Fund of $1 million upfront, plus at least $750,000 annually, to support the Walcha and Uralla communities.
• This wind farm alone will contribute approximately 3% toward the NSW 2030 emissions reduction targets.
• Wind energy has been found to be significantly cheaper than new fossil fuel generation and does not produce the air, water, or land pollution associated with coal combustion.
• During construction, the wind farm is expected to create nearly 400 jobs.
• The capital investment of $1.9 billion is expected to inject hundreds of millions into regional NSW.

The financial benefits to both Walcha and Uralla Councils are significant and will help fund infrastructure maintenance and investment into the future to be enjoyed by all residents. The creation of almost 400 jobs in the construction phase and 16 longer term roles for locals will provide significant opportunities for locals for new job training and skill development in the renewable energy sector. Wind energy is clean, economical and reliable.

We are neighbours to the project and have no problems with the wind turbines being built.
I also think the town will Benefit greatly from the project.

I live where the wind towers are going to be built and have no problem with the project.
I think Walcha will benefit from the extra revenue.

I fully support the EIS & the amendments for the Winterbourne Wind Farm.
This project will deliver renewable low-cost electricity (730 MW/PA), contributing to emissions reduction targets, creating a range of social & economic benefits & is a substantial capital investment for the New England region.
Winterbourne Wind will provide the Walcha & Uralla Councils a Community Benefit Fund of $1m at the commencement of the project & $750K/PA for the life of the project plus $1k for each MW in excess of 600MW & these figures are indexed to the CPI. This fund will be a huge benefit to these communities.
This and other similar projects will be a huge economic boost to the New England region & indeed Regional New South Wales & there is absolutely no valid reason as to why it should not go ahead

The wind farm will create nearly 400 jobs during construction,

Thank you for the opportunity to voice and once again confirm my full support for the Winterbourne Wind Farm.
I feel very positive and happy that the council has adopted the huge Community Benefit Fund this project will provide for Walcha and I am proud to be involved in Winterbourne Wind Farm. I'm not going to say anymore as I wrote my supportive submission before and all I want to convey is please just get on with the decision making process. Climate change is not waiting.
Kindest regards Janice Fletcher.