Karen Beauchamp
1 Millfield Road
Millfield NSW 2325
Email: [email protected]
Ph 0417 787 780

24 September 2025

The Project Director
Hunter Transmission Project
EnergyCo
Via Email: [email protected]

Subject: Submission regarding the Hunter Transmission Project Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)

To the Project Director,
I am writing to formally submit my feedback and concerns regarding the Environmental
Impact Statement for the Hunter Transmission Project. I live on Millfield Road in
Millfield, and as a resident directly impacted by this project, I am deeply concerned
about its effects on our community.

This submission is made on behalf of myself and a group of concerned residents of the
Millfield area. I am the elected chairperson of the steering committee for the soon-to
be-formed Millfield Community Association Inc., which is organising the formal
establishment of the association with a vote scheduled for 9th October 2025.

This submission represents the collective concerns of Millfield residents, and we intend
for the association to act as a key liaison with EnergyCo on behalf of our community.

My key concerns, which I believe have not been adequately addressed in the EIS, are as
follows:
1. Inconsistent Information Regarding Tower Height
There is a clear and confusing discrepancy in the information provided to the
community about the height of the proposed transmission towers. I have been given
various figures from different sources:
• I was initially told the towers would be 70m high.
• The project brochure states a height of 76m.
• Other local residents have been informed of heights up to 85m.

This inconsistency makes it impossible for residents to accurately assess the visual and
environmental impact of this project on our properties and on the broader landscape of
Millfield. I request an official, clear, and final statement on the maximum height of all
towers planned for the section of the project impacting our community.

2. The Understated Impact of Construction Traffic on Local Roads and Schools
The EIS acknowledges that a construction support site is planned for Wollombi Road in
Millfield. This will introduce hundreds of heavy vehicles to a local road that is not
designed for such traffic. This is a significant safety risk, especially given the proximity to
a primary school. A project representative has now told me directly that the widening of
Wollombi Road in Cessnock is to facilitate this project's traffic, which directly
contradicts prior statements that the upgrade was only for a new suburb.

I formally request a detailed, transparent traffic management plan that specifically
addresses the following:
• Confirmed construction routes that avoid the primary school on Wollombi Road.
• Restrictions on the number of daily truck movements and their operating hours.
• Measures to ensure pedestrian and school-zone safety during the entire
construction period.
• A formal commitment to repair, without delay, any and all road damage caused
by project-related traffic.

3. The Lack of Feasible Alternatives to a Route so Close to Millfield
EnergyCo’s fact sheets state that two other preliminary corridors were rejected due to
"significant land conflicts and impacts on urban areas." However, the current route
brings the project into close proximity with our town, with undeniable and significant
negative impacts on the community. It is difficult for residents to believe that there were
no other feasible alternatives that would have allowed the transmission line to be built
further away from our homes and community spaces.

I urge the project team to provide greater transparency and justification for the selection
of this specific route and to demonstrate what genuine efforts were made to protect
residential communities like Millfield.

4. The Need for Honest and Consistent Communication
The conflicting information on tower height and the perceived lack of transparency
regarding the Wollombi Road upgrades have created a sense of distrust within the
community. For a project of this scale and importance, it is essential that the project
proponents be entirely honest with residents. The social and community impacts of this
project are immense and deserve to be acknowledged and addressed, not downplayed.

I ask that EnergyCo commit to more consistent and transparent communication with
the Millfield community moving forward.

Given the discrepancies that have been communicated to residents, we ask that you
reply to this email and organise for a project representative to attend a community
meeting to address our specific concerns directly.

I look forward to your response to these serious concerns and hope that the project
team will take them into consideration as the planning process moves forward.

Sincerely,
Karen Beauchamp
Chairperson

Submission - Feedback on the Hunter Transmission Project (HTP)
Submitted by - Name: Nathan Lincoln, Principal – Millfield Public School
105 Wollombi Rd, Millfield 2325
Application Number: SSI-70610456
________________________________________
Introduction
I submit this feedback on behalf of Millfield Public School and its community in response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hunter Transmission Project. This submission has been drafted quickly, as the school only recently became aware of the project and its potential impacts.
As a school and Department, our first and only meeting with the Hunter Transmission Project Team took place yesterday (Wednesday 23/9/25), where I voiced my concerns along with my Business Manager, School Infrastructure representative, WHS representative, and Director of the Cessnock Network on behalf of the school and the broader community. Project representatives took notes and advised that I should lodge a formal submission through this NSW Planning Portal.
Community representatives visited our school today (Thursday 24/9/25) to check in with me about the project, where I was able to further discuss the following concerns.
________________________________________
Key Concerns
1. Limited Consultation
• Millfield Public School was not meaningfully consulted during earlier planning stages, despite the EIS identifying schools as “sensitive receptors.”
• As principal, I only became aware of the scale and timeline of this project within the past fortnight, leaving insufficient time to prepare or engage with our parent community before the public submission deadline.
• This lack of consultation undermines confidence in the process and raises questions about whether the safety and needs of students have been adequately factored into the assessment.
2. Traffic and Safety Risks
• The school is located directly on Wollombi Road (105), with no formal carpark and a crossing situated below a crest, which already poses safety risks.
• Construction is expected to increase heavy vehicle traffic along Wollombi Road and Mount View Road during peak times. Although peak times do not exactly coincide with school drop-off and pick-up, there will still be a substantial increase in traffic during school hours, placing students, staff, and families at significant risk.
• Increased congestion, combined with poor visibility, raises concerns about accidents and unsafe conditions for children and families accessing the school.
• Delays and traffic blockages also raise concerns about emergency service access to the school.
• Additional traffic pressure during construction would make safe and reliable access extremely difficult, particularly in the event of an emergency.
3. Student Wellbeing and Containment Risks
• The school caters for a wide range of students, including those with learning support needs who may sometimes experience distress.
• On occasion, students in distress have attempted to leave the school premises. While staff currently manage these situations, our existing boundary fencing is not sufficient to fully prevent absconding.
• Under current traffic conditions, staff are generally able to intervene and maintain safety. However, with the projected increase in heavy and fast-moving vehicles on Wollombi Road, the risks become far more severe and unmanageable.
• A child exiting the school grounds into traffic could result in catastrophic outcomes.
• This represents an unacceptable increase in risk, particularly when the project has not provided mitigation measures such as fencing upgrades, additional crossings, or on-site safety supports.
4. Operational Disruptions
• The lack of a sealed, all-weather carpark already restricts parent and staff parking during wet weather. Parents are forced to park along Wollombi Road for pick-up and drop-off, and when the small gravel carpark becomes unusable, roadside congestion increases.
• Noise, dust, and vibration from construction traffic may impact the health, wellbeing, and engagement of students and staff. This could significantly disrupt teaching and learning in classrooms and playgrounds.
• The projected years of construction, with 24/7 operations at nearby support sites, create uncertainty about how daily school functions will be maintained.
5. Future Community Impact
• Millfield is a small but growing community, and the school plays a central role in local life. Large-scale infrastructure projects must consider not just immediate impacts but also the longer-term effect on community growth and school viability.
________________________________________
Request
Given these concerns, I respectfully request that the Department of Planning and EnergyCo:
• Undertake direct consultation with Millfield Public School and provide clear plans for how safety risks will be mitigated.
• Consider alternative traffic management strategies that reduce construction traffic during school peak times.
• Commit to safety upgrades (e.g., fencing, road crossing improvements, traffic controls, and carpark upgrades) to protect students, families, and staff.
• Extend genuine opportunities for the community to engage, recognising that the short submission window has left many without time to contribute meaningfully.
________________________________________
Conclusion
Millfield Public School recognises the importance of transitioning to renewable energy. However, the process to date has not provided our school and community with adequate consultation, preparation, or assurances of safety.
The projected increase in heavy traffic, combined with insufficient mitigation measures, places our students — particularly those with learning support needs — at unacceptable risk. Without fencing upgrades, improved crossings, and robust traffic management strategies, the safety of children, families, and staff cannot be guaranteed.
I strongly urge the Department of Planning to require EnergyCo to address these matters before any approval is granted. Student safety and community wellbeing must be the highest priority in a project of this scale.
________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Nathan Lincoln
Principal
Millfield Public School

I object to the Hunter Transmission Project - the endangered Littlejohn’s tree frog lives in the area where works and clearing are planned, and only has a small and inbred population. A new solution should be found that avoids the frogs' habitat, especially avoiding the proposed switching station that is planned to be built on top of key breeding ponds.

We need to value our endangered wildlife more and take them into consideration when planning projects such as this transmission line. While the project will assist with renewable energy, it should be designed to avoid further endangering the Littlejohn’s tree frog - surely both can be achieved. Without biodiversity, our planet is at risk.

The transmission lines that are proposed have a negative effect on the airstrip owned by Hunter Valley Gliding Club. These lines will restrict flying and reduce safety for all those using the airstrip.

This reduction in safety and flying will force members to move to other areas to fly, which will be a loss to the Hunter Valley. There are members that travel over four or more hours to fly gliders at Warkworth Airstrip.

Should pilots be required to fly in low due to many reasons these powerlines will be a hazard with the potential of crashes with injuries and deaths.

I would recommend there be more discussions with the Hunter Valley Gliding Club to review the options for reducing the effect of these powerlines. It is important that this new infrastructure does not reduce safety or flying operations to this important Gliding club.

I have been flying at the Hunter Valley Gliding Club (HVGC) for over 30 years and fly gliders, the glider tug and light sport aircraft. I have seen many changes in the environment that effect the operation of the HVGC and usually there are substantial risk assessments to identify and mitigate risk. I do not see any such suitable assessment for this project which raises grave concerns for the future safety of operations at Warkworth airfield.

An assessment should include but not be limited to:
1. Normal operations of gliders and powered aircraft including launch, circuit and landings.
2. Abnormal operation of gliders and powered aircraft including power/engine failure, low approaches due to abnormal conditions such as cable breaks or sinking air on a long final approach.
3. Operations in all wind conditions and directions with respect to items 1 and 2.
I am concerned that only minimal attention has been paid to the effect on the Hunter Valley Gliding Club operations in terms of safety.

The risk assessments need to involve the airfield operators and other professional organisations such as CASA and the GFA.

There are numerous CASA documents that define limits to glide approaches to an airfield but there also specific and unusual considerations required for a gliding operation where sometime low performance aircraft require limits over and above those prescribed by CASA documents.

Apart from the HVGC there are a number of other operations based around Warkworth airfield such as light aircraft training operations who use it for emergency landing training, emergency bush fire fighters and other personnel are flown in and out of Warkworth to name but two.

Thus far it appears that the safety and the inclusion of the HVGC in the project considerations have been at best glossed over and I would request that Energy Co be asked to seriously address the concerns of the current airfield users.

My submission objects to the Hunter Transmission Project EIS. While the project is important for NSW’s energy transition, the EIS lacks sufficient rigour, transparency, and detail, particularly regarding impacts on Commonwealth land, threatened species, cultural heritage, and sensitive landscapes.
Key concerns include:
• Inadequate quantification of biodiversity impacts
• Vague mitigation for threatened flora and fauna
• Limited erosion risk analysis for the Singleton Military Area
• Deferral of critical management plans (e.g., ACHMP) to post-approval
• Insufficient assessment of indirect and cumulative impacts
• Weak stakeholder engagement beyond the exhibition period

I would like to express my deep disappointment in the handling of the HTP project, which stands as a stark example of the NSW and Federal Governments’ failure to uphold fair and equitable communication with the Australian public.

The planning process has been marred by an alarming lack of transparency, drawn out over an extended period with minimal public engagement. When the opportunity to respond finally arrived, it was rushed and inadequate, leaving little room for meaningful public input.

Throughout this process, interactions with the HTP team have been consistently negative. Their conduct has been dismissive, arrogant, and entirely disconnected from the genuine concerns of affected communities. It is clear that the consultation process was nothing more than a procedural formality—a box-ticking exercise designed to meet minimum requirements, rather than a sincere effort to listen and respond to public feedback.

Given the designation of the HTP as a critical infrastructure project, it appears the team operated under the assumption that community voices would carry no weight in shaping the outcome. This approach undermines public trust and sets a dangerous precedent for future infrastructure planning.

I am more than willing to discuss these concerns further with anyone who is genuinely interested in understanding the depth of the issues at hand.

Submission to NSW Planning Portal – Hunter Transmission Project
Application Number: SSI-70610456
Applicant: Stuart & Robin Brigden
Address: 67 Bellamy Street, Millfield 2325
Date: 23rd September 2025
To Whom if May Concern,
Submission Title: Objection to the Hunter Transmission Project – Mount View Road, Millfield Owners.

We are writing to provide feedback to the proposed HTP Corridor.
Whilst the submission does not allow us to tick both the boxes *I’m providing comments and * I object to the project… the option chosen of *I’m providing comments should not be taken as our approval of the project.
Rather than question the feasibility of the entire project, our focus here is to reflect on the specific topic of Energy Co’s decision to use Mount View Road and Mt Baker Road through the construction phase.
Millfield has a small population of less than 1500 and is a small rural community. Mount View Road is used by around 50 local residences, but the proposed traffic flow will be immensely disruptive, both from a visual and noise perspective. The road is mainly a narrow, winding dirt road and as such is completely unsuitable to support the type and volume of the traffic proposed. Other access routes have to be considered, even creating a new road that will have less impact and will be much more direct.
Mount View Road runs on the edge of a ‘bowl’ where any noise levels are accentuated. Having hundreds of construction vehicles driving along every day will have a huge adverse impact not only on the residents of Mount View, but the Millfield community as a whole. Just look at what is happening along Wollombi Road in Cessnock. Please listen to the voices in the community.
Mental Health is a key factor for why people live in the country, therefore what measures have you directly considered in your decision making process as to the stress that will be endured by the community through this whole construction process and the resulting damage to our environment and vistas.
Surely access can be made within the actual corridor?
There has also been proposed worker accommodation and construction sites on Wollombi Road and Mount View Road with operations running seven days a week for 2 ½ years or more which poses a real issue with threats to local amenity, safety and the quiet rural community which we have all moved to this area for.

We therefore request that the NSW Planning Authority reconsider approving the use of Mount View Road and Mount Baker Road by Energy Co for the construction of the HTP in order to protect the interests of local residents and environment and to explore less intrusive alternatives.
Regards
Stuart and Robin Brigden