I wish to lodge an objection to the Oxley Solar Farm-SSD No 10346. My brother and his family live off Milne Road to the South West of the proposed development in a picturesque location adjoining Commissioners Waters. I believe the DA submission significantly understates the impact the development will have on the visual amenity in the area. There are many rural residential properties along the Castledoyle Road whose owner’s visual amenity will be adversely effected. The proposed development will reduce the attractiveness of the area to people seeking a semi-rural lifestyle close to Armidale, thereby limiting future growth. The proposed development will also be seen by visitors travelling to the Blue Hole and the adjacent National Park. The addition of Oxley Solar Farm to this area, combined with Stringybark Solar Farm, creates significant cumulative visual impacts.

I support investment in renewable energy and believe solar power is well suited to our country. However, there must be many suitable alternative locations in the region that are not situated so close to town or within view of rural residential zoned land or a popular National Park and picnic destination. Therefore, I ask that the Oxley Solar Farm SSD-10346 submission be rejected.

Objection to Oxley Solar Farm-SSD No 10346

I object to the application by Oxley Solar Farm-SSD No 10346 to build a very large solar factory, with all the other accompanying out-buildings and stated items, in the Castledoyle area, near Armidale in the New England area of New South Wales.

I support the concept of renewable energy but it must be well thought out, well placed, consideration must be given to all involved and feedback must be responded to appropriately to ensure that decisions made now are not regretted in the future with the loss or damage to irreplaceable natural environments being the unfortunate result.

A key component of any industrial solar plant development is how they approach the community in which the development is proposed. The ‘Ideal’ Consultation Process as outlined in A Guide for Renewable Energy Developers https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/91377/Community-Engagement-and-Benefit-Sharing-in-Renewable-Energy-Development.pdf
p7 states:
“The community engagement principles that should inform a plan are:
• mutual benefit
• mutual respect
• relationship-building
• authenticity
• appropriateness
• ongoing engagement
• transparency and responsiveness”

Upon speaking with my parents-in-law who live in the Castledoyle area, Oxley Solar Development Pty Ltd have failed on each of these stated criteria. Their conduct has been deceptive, questions are either not answered fully, are diverted or are ignored. Community engagement has been superficial at best, there has been no authenticity, no respect for the community and certainly no building of relationships. From the perspectives of the local community, their efforts have been a “tick the box” approach and totally disrespectful. Responsiveness has been non-existent and the entire process has lacked transparency.
I strongly disagree with the placement of this proposed industrial solar plant and suggest that the community engagement process needs to be rigorously assessed.

This project will endanger the Blue Hold and nearby national park. Surely there is a better place to build this that is not on good agricultural land. I am worried that the project will lead to erosion and siltation of the blue hole which is a much loved attraction of our town.

My first objection to the Oxley Solar Farm is on the grounds that valuable farming land will become useless (as a retired farmer, I totally disagree with those who maintain stock can still be run in and around the panels). The majority of our best productive land has already been covered in houses, and now the threat is solar panels. Australia has a huge amount of low-producing land - why do we have to ruin the good parts?
My second objection is the proximity to lifestyle blocks around Armidale. I'm sure there is no plan to compensate people in that locality for the devaluation of their land. This is another reason to pick the low-producing land - it is not generally near built-up areas.

I object to this project for the following reasons:

1. Negative visual impact for a large number of local residents
2. Proximity to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, with potential impacts including:
a. Environmental damage to the park and surrounds
b. Bushfire risk
c. Negative visual impact for users of the park
3. Cumulative impacts of two solar developments side by side (Oxley Solar Farm and Stringbark Solar Farm)

This development should be re-located to a more suitable site with less impact.

See attached PDF document objecting to the planned proposal.

I am writing to object to the application submitted by Oxley Solar Farm-SSD No 10346 to build a 300MW solar factory with up to 50MW of battery storage and associated infrastructure in Castledoyle, in the New England area of New South Wales.

I support the concept of renewable energy but do NOT support the placement of an industrial solar plant on productive agricultural land bordering one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area – the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park.

My parents live in the Castledoyle area and my family and I visit them frequently. To build an industrial solar plant on <5% sloping land, where anticipated runoff will damage the natural environment irreparably, in particular two pristine waterways that then flow through the National Park, and into the Macleay catchment, is irresponsible. As the NSW Farmers “Renewable Energy Landholders Guide” has stated, industrial solar plants should be built in a suitable location on near flat land.

The Oxley Solar Plant will have a hugely detrimental impact on the appeal, recreational and environmental value of the Blue Hole, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and the surrounding areas.

I strongly disagree with the placement of the proposed industrial solar plant which will be detrimental to the immediate community.

I wish to object to the Oxley Solar Farm development. Whilst I can see that measure have been proposed to protect the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park- World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforest I have grave concerns about the long term damage that could occur as a result of erosion. In order for the solar farm to be at functioning status, more detail needs to be provided in Appendix D Biodiversity DAR with regards to erosion. Stating: “Whilst the construction of the proposal would involve a range of activities that would disturb soils and potentially lead to sediment runoff affecting local waterways during rainfall events. These potential impacts are unlikely to significantly impact water quality with the implementation of recommended mitigation measures including erosion and sedimentation controls.” There is however, no outline of what these controls would be. The EIS states that “In this assessment an assumption has been made that all vegetation within the development footprint would be removed.” One can, therefore, only assume that in a the likely hood a large rainfall event the soil would erode and move down the terrain, which is very steep in parts end up in the waterways.

I am also concerned that it may interfere with internet connectivity and wi-fi due to the electrical waves.

I am objecting to this project as I feel it is being built in the wrong area. Good grazing land is not the place for these solar panels when you consider how many there are. There is also a national park in close proximity and also a water way where platypus reside and we really don’t know if there is any toxins which come off these panels over a period of time. I’m not anti solar panel but there is plenty of australia to build these farms which don’t effect both flora/ fauna and impede on peoples lifestyles.