I support the project as a boost to NSW's renewable energy infrastructure to keep the lights on and reduce emissions . The Goulburn LGA does not host any such large scale projects to date and the community/neighbour benefits from these projects are substantial. I see a lot of positive work going into negotiating a decent benefit sharing agreement by many local people of good will and it appears the proponent is responsive. I understand that the Indigenous assessment with respect to special sites has been undertaken thoroughly and sensitively. Some of the opposition appears to be politically motivated, some arguments against the project constitute misinformation and come from people who are not in direct line of sight of the project. I think those directly affected visually should receive benefits and interventions that mitigate their concerns but do not derail the project. We live in the 21st century and should be building 21st century technology to address environmental concerns and climate change. Please approve this project with an emphasis on substantial benefit sharing & local jobs. I believe there is considerable support for action on climate change in the Goulburn electorate and LGA. It is the noisy minority that make change so difficult to achieve. I feel for the folks who are genuinely affected but there are mechanisms in place to negotiate compensation and benefits that far outweigh concerns.

Please refer to the attachment.

I question the fairness of the proposal.

We are Allan and Susan Christie, residents of the heritage property “Gundary Plains”- Circa 1914, 1013 Windellama Road Goulburn. We have lived here for 38 years, raising a family and now assisting with caring for grandchildren.
The Gundary homestead was the centre piece of a large rural holding. Over time the property has been divided into many small holdings providing a rural environment for families, hobby farms and farmers with small numbers of livestock, orchards and tree plantations, retirees living on off farm income are part of our community. The Gundary Plains is a quiet picturesque, peaceful place, a good place to live. BP Lightsource plan to change that!
For the last 2.5 years we as community have been struggling with BP Lightsource as they seek approval to establish a massive solar factory on our Gundary Plains. The factory will cover a huge swathe of our space with 750, 000 solar panels and supporting BESS battery storage. A massive 14-acre substation is placed right in front of our heritage property dominating our views to the North and violating our sense of space and appreciation of where we live and why we live here.

1. SEPP (Special Environmental Protection Provisions)
We enjoy the SEPP, the government’s own protection mechanism protecting the rites of residents living inside a 10-kilometre zone from the centre of Goulburn City. These provisions prohibit large scale industrial developments that adversely impact a resident’s sense of belonging, space and appreciation of the Gundary Plains. More than 2/3 of this development is inside the 10km zone. These provisions were upheld recently by the Land and Environment Court when BP Lightsource proposed and another solar factory inside the 10km zone of the city of Mudgee, the project was not approved!

2. Loss of Land Value
Licenced valuers on inspections have advised us to expect up to a 20% reduction in property value for Gundary Plains and that protracted listing times are inevitable. We have neighbours trying to sell with no interest, the solar factory is a major negative. This has created major hardship for them. Neighbours that have managed to sell have had to discount heavily. No compensation from BP Lightsource has been offered!

3. Fire
We are in a grass fire prone area. The solar installation will be fully fenced. A fire entering or starting on the solar farm will be very difficult to defend. The restricted space between rows of panels could easily trap firefighters with disastrous results. Our local R.F.S will not enter the fenced area, a fire driven by our intense North Westerly winds will move rapidly through the solar factory and create critical risk to the many residents on the Eastern Side. The Kooringaroo Road is a dead end, partially dirt with narrow crossings, it would not cope with firefighters entering and locals escaping. People will be trapped. Loss of property and possibly loss of life will result. The R.F.S have been highly critical of the BP Lightsource fire management provisions.

4. Heat Bank Impact
Scientists recognise the heat bank impact in summer months – we will be very close to the installation and substation. BP Lightsource have no right to impact our environment or our space by modifying local climate conditions.

5. Sydney Water
The Gundary Creek is part of the Warragamba catchment, the solar farm is adjacent to and encroaches on the on the Gundary Creek. Pollution of water resources in establishment, operation and deteriorating metal and cabling as well as panel over time will compromise water quality. A fire in the solar factory would be a disaster for Sydney Water releasing toxins into the water supply.

6. Physical and Mental Health
The past 2.5 years since BP announced this project have been devastating for our family. We have had to face the destruction of our deeply valued environment and our enjoyment of it. The impact on our general and mental health, as well as neighbours has been frightful. There has been no recognition of this by BP as if it doesn’t exist, let alone assistance.

7. Remediation and Decommissioning
The mining industry has clear guidelines on remediation and decommissioning, not so for the solar industry. Depositing funds to cover remediation is essential as the ownership may change many times over 30 years. The end owner may declare bankruptcy and walkaway. This leaves the local government and taxpayers with a mammoth bill. BP has made no specific commitment to rehabilitating the Gundary Plains.

8. Roads and Access
The Windellama Road on the Western side is a mosaic of repairs at the moment. The road needs to be rebuilt to take the 2 years of heavy transport in the establishment phase. Fifes Bridge is a serious big transport risk as it is narrow and on a blind curve. The bridge needs to be rebuilt and widened, and the road straightened to take the large trucks. Will B.P be providing finance for these works?

Summary
BP Lightsource’s attraction to our area is easy access to established transmission with taxpayer funded incentives and substantial profits. Pushing aside over 60 families living on or adjacent to the solar factory boundary and hundreds of others also impacted. This is a closely populated rural community of hobby farms, retirees, young families, living on small acreages enjoying a rural lifestyle. The government has a duty to uphold the provisioning of the SEPP and protect these people from inappropriate industrial style developments. The Goulburn Mulwaree Council is also against this development as it conflicts with council vision for future growth. This project needs to be moved to a more appropriate site where it respects the provisions of the SEPP and causes minimum disruption to the local community. And functions with maximum efficiency.


Allan and Susan Christie
Gundary Plains, Goulburn

GUNDARY PLAINS IS THE WRONG PLACE FOR A LARGE INDUSTRIAL SCALE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION FACILITY!!!!

My wife and I own ( since 1988) and together with family operate a large farming/grazing property, Lumley Park, located approximately 12 km east as the crow flies of the proposed solar farm at Gundary.
I am concerned about the added fire risk posed by this development. Lumley Park is located just south of Bungonia village and covers an area of about 8000 acres. This year, 2024, marks 200 years of continuous lamb, mutton and wool production on Lumley Park. In that time there have been two devastating bushfires - 1965 and 1984 - on Lumley Park. Both burnt through the Gundary Plains and could not be stopped before reaching the bush at the top of the feature known as Mountain Ash which is approximately 1km east of the solar farm boundary. Once a fire reaches Mountain Ash - which is densely timbered with relatively tall trees and wall to wall undergrowth - the abundant fuel and favourable topography it becomes inaccessible to ground vehicles and uncontrollable with the abundant fuel. To my knowledge there have been no prescribed burns in this area in 40 years. Additionally I don’t think any fire trail maintenance has been carried out anywhere. I have the Rix fire trail on my place which I used to maintain but it is now impassable.
I would doubt the RFS would be able to attempt to control any fire escaping out of the solar farm other than by air. There is just too much potential danger to firefighters.
Both the 1965 and 1985 fires caused massive damage. In the nearly 40 years since the last fire most of the area has been sub divided into small holdings typically of 100 acres or smaller. Many of these properties are located in extremely fire prone situations off Mountain Ash Road.
The population has increased significantly and a major fire going through the area now would present problems with evacuation. There are only two exit roads - Mountain Ash and Jerrara. A fallen tree blocking either could be disastrous.
Apart from the 1965 and 1984 fires there have been many others which have been stopped on the Gundary Plains by RFS fire trucks and private fire fighting vehicles. Lightning strikes are very common on the Gundary Plains - has the EIS looked at the geology? I wouldn’t be surprised if there are areas of iron stone encouraging lightning strikes.
I have noticed over the years that no matter where fires start they end up at Gundary. The topography seems to funnel fires to Gundary. As noted, many grass fires have started on Gundary over the years which fortunately have been controlled before reaching the Mountain Ash bush. Some of these have been serious and have resulted in injuries to fire fighters. My concern is that fire trucks will not be able to drive through the dense array of panels; long dry grass growing around the panels will accelerate any fire making it uncontrollable; the proposed fire break around the development is so small it is ludicrous; the quantity of water proposed for fire fighting is similarly ludicrous even if fire trucks could reach a fire in the panels. The key to controlling a fire is to get onto it fast and this is usually done by RFS trucks but if the source of the fire is inaccessible in the middle of 1500 acres of solar panels then the RFS people will just have to sit outside the fire while it builds into an uncontrollable inferno.
The EIS does not address the extreme fire risk this development poses to properties such as Lumley Park who are not immediate neighbours.
Everyone is also aware of reports of solar panels and associated equipment going into failure mode and catching fire. This is a new risk in country already considered fire prone by Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
So in summary the development in an area with significant bush fire history is not a smart move and should be rejected.

RE: Objection to the Gundary Solar Farm Development

I am submitting this letter to strongly oppose the proposed Gundary Solar Farm project. This development poses significant risks to the well-being of the surrounding community, our environment, and local families' financial stability. It demonstrates a blatant disregard for those who call this area home.

1. Unsuitable Land Use and Disregard for Residents

My parents invested in our 30-acre property to provide a quiet, rural lifestyle for our family. This land represents more than just a home—it’s where we’ve built memories and enjoy the serenity of rural living, all while being close to essential town services. The solar farm, as planned, undermines this lifestyle.

It is deeply concerning that BP’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) does not state that the project’s location avoids conflicts with residential land use, as required by law. Instead, BP’s own Scoping Report reveals their priorities: access to the power grid and open land that avoids clearing native vegetation—decisions motivated solely by profit, with no regard for the impact on nearby residents. The assertion that the project does not conflict with residential land is both misleading and offensive.

2. Environmental Harm

While BP claims to have minimised clearing native vegetation, this development will undoubtedly disrupt the natural environment. Noise, construction, and the industrial footprint of the solar farm will have lasting consequences for local wildlife. Many native species could be displaced or lose critical habitat due to this development.

3. Unexamined Heat Bank Effect

Global studies indicate that large-scale solar farms create a “heat bank” effect, increasing temperatures by several degrees for hundreds of meters beyond the solar panels. This phenomenon is most severe during summer and will significantly impact nearby residents.

Despite this well-documented issue, there has been no effort by Australian authorities to study or evaluate the extent of this effect locally. BP’s Environmental Impact Statement fails to address how this heat impact will affect the families living within its range. This glaring omission renders the proposal incomplete and unfit for approval.

4. Fire Hazards and Safety Concerns

The placement of this project creates an unacceptable fire risk. The area is serviced by a single road, Kooringaroo Road, which could leave residents—including my family—trapped in the event of a fire. High winds, common in our region, would accelerate the spread of flames, placing lives in jeopardy.

Having personally endured the catastrophic Southern Highlands fires in 2019/2020, my family knows all too well the physical and emotional toll of such disasters. The anxiety this project brings to our community cannot be overstated.

5. Severe Economic Impact on Local Families

The proposed development will drastically affect property values in the area, with local real estate experts estimating losses of 30-50%. For my parents, who are hardworking individuals—a school teacher and a shearer—this financial blow would be devastating.

Our family’s property is not only our home but also part of my parents’ retirement plan. Selling it was meant to provide financial security in their later years. Now, the solar farm threatens to devalue their investment by hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a stark example of corporate greed overshadowing the livelihoods of ordinary Australians.

6. Overlooked Policy and Community Needs

Large-scale solar farms of this nature were never intended to be built in areas like Gundary. Policy frameworks have failed to anticipate the placement of industrial-scale projects in rural residential areas, leaving residents like us exposed to their detrimental effects.

BP is fully aware of these oversights and is pushing forward with this project regardless. They have prioritised their financial gain over the community’s needs, treating residents with disregard throughout this process.

Conclusion

This proposal highlights a severe imbalance between BP’s profits and the negative consequences for local families. It sacrifices our community’s safety, environmental health, and financial security to line the pockets of a corporation with no vested interest in Gundary’s future.

I strongly urge the planning authority to reject this proposal. Protecting the interests of the Gundary community must take precedence over corporate greed.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns