My objection is set out in my attached letter dated 3 August 2023.

I object to the proposed development of a 360MW solar farm, battery energy storage and grid connection at Sturmans Road, Spring Mountain by Sundown Solar Pty Ltd, application no. SSD-8911. Please see my attached letter of objection.

I strongly object to this project or any others that affect any usable agricultural land and impact local roads
and landholders that have to suffer the inconvenience of heavy traffic on unsuitable roads.
There is also the danger of introducing or spreading noxious weeds.

I strongly object to the development of the Sundown Solar Farm project. As a family member of landholders within the 4 km buffer zone, there has been very little communication regarding the project Which is extremely disappointing from not only the developers but Inverell Shire Council as well.
This project carries with it extreme safety concerns in terms of traffic increases causing congestion and problems with local access along Spring Mountain Road potentially leading to traffic accidents and concerns with emergency access for fire and ambulance.
The project traffic proposed using the rural road networks of Spring Mountain Road, Sturmans Road (from Glen Innes and Inverell) is 428 heavy vehicles (up to 26m long), shuttle buses, and private vehicles/day during construction.
This will greatly impact Swan Vale residents in so many ways.
Firstly I am aware that six children including three of my own family members catch the school bus from the intersection of Gwydir Highway and Spring Mountain Rd
An over 900 percent increase in traffic will not only put these children at risk but impact primary producers ability to move stock safely , and impact the ability of emergency services to access rural properties.
Many of these issues could be mitigated by using an alternative access road. I understand this option was initially considered as a shorter and more direct route to the development however Sundown Solar and Inverell Council decided it was not ‘feasable’ because:
1) a lower cost to the applicant in upgrading the intersection of Gwydir Highway with Spring Mountain Road instead of the intersection of Gwydir Highway with the private road; and
2) less impact on vegetation in using Spring Mountain Road and Sturmans Road.
Neither of these reasons make using the private road not “feasible”. The capital investment value of this project is approx. $689 million. The profits will be much greater than the capital investment. The costs to Sundown Solar is slight compared to the major impacts the high volume heavy vehicle traffic on local residents and businesses.
Furthermore, I have concerns regarding fire risk and the ability of locals to be able to mitigate this risk.
A 150 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is proposed for the project However, they are a serious safety risk if not correctly installed or commissioned as identified by WorkSafe QLD. They can cause:
Electric shock, Fire and explosion that can also result from excessive temperatures, component failure, short circuit or loose connections.
Flash burns - A battery has sufficient energy to cause an arc flash if it short circuits,
or if a fault occurs. An arc flash can have temperatures above 12,000°C, capable
of melting metal or causing fires and explosions, and cause arc flash injuries. Exposure to hazardous chemicals. Battery casings can degrade or be damaged
from a variety of impacts. They can also rupture because of excessive temperatures generated from a change in chemical reaction from over-charging. If a battery casing is ruptured, the fluid or gel (electrolyte) inside can leak, resulting in toxic fumes, burns, corrosion or explosions.
This project is planned to have a lifespan of 35 years which means, these risks remain for the local community for a very long time.
21 resident homes in Swan Vale are within
4 kms of the proposed project area that will have this battery storage system installed.
Add to this the potential access issues for fire services, inability to use aerial appliances for fire fighting, and the terrain making a major fire event almost impossible to control solely using vehicles, adding this additional fire risk without consultation is a disaster waiting to happen.
Considering people over profits is not occurring here. Please allow meaningful consultation and consideration of this communities concerns.

I strongly object to the development of the Sundown Solar Farm project. As part of a family that has two properties within the 4 km buffer zone, I was saddened to learn of the poor communication regarding the project apart from a letter from the Department of Planning received in July. I understand a community meeting was held where 2 land owners attended. My family and a number of other people were unaware of this meeting and did not receive communications but most certainly would have attended either personally or remotely if this option was given. I am greatly disappointed in both the developer and also the Inverell Shire Council for the lack of consultation, particularly given the safety concerns I have regarding the initial development, and also further into the projects continuation which I will detail below.
Firstly I have major concerns regarding the planned use of Spring Mountain Road increasing traffic flow to 428 vehicles on a 6 day per week basis seems like a tragedy waiting to happen.
Three of my young family members catch the bus from the turnoff from Gwydir Highway to Spring Mountain Road, as I did as a child, and do not see that proposed “mitigation strategies” to avoid school bus times are anything Other than empty promises. Adding the amount of traffic to this road instead of insisting of developers using their funds to make an access road avoiding an impact on the rural road is irresponsible and will impact not only these children’s safety but emergency access and bush fire fighting access.
This brings me to my next point regarding fire safety. great concern to me is also the risk of fire as a result of either panels or battery storage catching fire. This area, as the developer has quoted, is in a renewable energy hub comprising other solar farms and wind farms. As a result of the wind farms in close proximity, it is a no-fly zone for firefighting aircraft. If a fire occurs and is not contained it would become a terrible disaster as a lot of the terrain would be difficult to fight a fire in with vehicles alone.
Part of the appeal of this beautiful part of the world is the natural wild terrain. Unfortunately we are headed into an El Niño period, our country is severely affected by fire and if a major fire event occurs the plans for this project as well as the impact on traffic and roads as well as possible impacts on farm dams under harvestable rights and groundwater depletion if bore access is granted, this could be an unmitigated disaster for rural fire services that my family have been a part of for more than 40 years.
Please consider the impact on hardworking rural residents and not the almighty dollar.

See Attachment