Dear Planning department,

I would like to put in my support for the Springdale Solar farm.

I live in Queanbeyan and have my business registered here. I am also a
part owner of the solar farm.

The solar farm will provide jobs and economic growth for the
Queanbeyan, Yass and Goulburn regions as well as across the border in
the ACT.

We need to provide generation close to load to bring energy prices
down and reduce the requirements for grid upgrades. This farm supplies
Queanbeyan and Canberra and will reduce energy prices for NSW.

It will also continue to run as a sheep farm and on completion in 30
years will be available for other land uses.

This is being delivered by a local firm Beast Solutions to provide
local work for 12 full time staff and over 30 staff in the wider team,
as well as hundreds of construction jobs and ongoing o&m jobs.

This solar farm will also support additional battery, electric vehicle
and other work in the region providing a base for Snowy 2.0 work and
the Jerrabomberra Technology park.

It is also provides community investment options such as being done
for the Sapphire Wind farm.

I therefore strongly support this development.

The development of the proposed solar farm will be of great benefit to
the environment and local area, I strongly support the development of
the Springdale solar farm.

As a keen supporter of renewable energy and a person who believes the
government should be supporting viable efforts to effectively harvest
solar energy to create a cleaner environment with sustainable power
sources, I represent many average citizens who want to see coal fired
power stations decommissioned over time as solar shows its ability to
cheaply cleanly and effectively power our homes.

I support the Springdale Solar Farm project as it will be very beneficial
to the environment. The size of this project will allow 35,000 houses
to be powered with clean energy. Clean energy has many environmental
benefits such as reducing green house gas emissions, creating new
employment opportunities, improve public health and many more. Whereas
using coal for energy produces harmful byproducts and gas emissions
such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide that causes
pollution to the environment including acid rain. Coal energy is also
non renewable whereas clean energy such as solar panels and wind
turbines is renewable. This project would also prevent 123,000 tonnes
of CO2 being released into the environment annually. CO2 is extremely
harmful to the environment as it is increasing global warming and the
harmful effects of climate change. This project is also providing
benefits to the local community of the Yass Valley area. It's going to
increase business for restaurants such as Eagle Hawk Pub and other
food venues in the town of Gundaroo. There is also the opportunity for
community members to invest in the solar farm and receive even more
benefits from this project. Employment opportunities with the solar
farm are also available for the community. The local community is
saying that the location of the Springdale Solar Farm is prime grazing
land. The solar farm is using 470 acres of land on this farm, however
nearly 50% of this land will still be used for agricultural purposes.
The solar panels will also be elevated which means livestock such as
sheep will still be able to graze under the panels. NSW is currently
experiencing a devastating drought and needs to ease the pressure of
grazing so that overgrazing doesn't occur and impact the environment
negatively. It makes sense to reduce the grazing of livestock on this
land so that the vegetation can revive quicker as it won't have the
pressure of livestock overgrazing. Whilst the community is saying that
the proposed location is not the right location for the solar farm I
have to disagree. The location of the Springdale Solar Farm is not
accessed by large amounts of the public. The only people who would be
needing to drive past the location of it is residents to the area,
otherwise it's not located next to a highway where it is visible for
thousands of people to see travelling everyday. Also the layout of the
solar farm is being designed to reduce the visual impact on
neighbouring landowners as much as possible. This will be done by
planting screening where possible along the edge of
the solar farm and at other locations within the site. Another issue
community members are protesting about the Solar Farm is traffic
related issues. There will be a number of measures used to manage the
impact from construction traffic
on the community some of them being designated routes of construction
traffic to the site and scheduling of delivery of major components
where practicable to minimise safety risks to other road users
including avoiding major deliveries during school pick-up and
drop-off times.

Springdale Solar-farm is a great idea and in a great location. It is a
source of clean renewable energy which will not only help our
environment, but will provide an alternative energy supply with no
damage to the environment. In the long run it will also create cheaper
energy options for the community.

I support the Solar-farm immensely. The project will create opportunities
for contractors and local employment, as well as training and
scholarships which is great for local businesses & the local economy
especially with the opportunity for the community to co-invest in the
solar farm - and there is a $100,000 community fund; It is a great
idea and in the perfect location.

I support this because it would be good for local businesses and give the
community the opportunity to co-invest in the solar farm.

It is the perfect location for a solar farm.

The project with certainly create opportunities for contractors and
local employment.

Powering 35,000 homes with clean green energy is a positive step in
reducing climate change.

I support the project for the reasons below

- Solar installations are the way of the future and should be
supported
- Solar belifits the community and the environment
- Better grass development around the solar panels rather than in full
sun

MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY MUCH IN FAVOUR OF THIS PROPOSAL PARTICULARLY IN
LIGHT OF THE FEDERAL GOVT.,ABDICATION OF ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO FUTURE
GENERATIONS.

I write to object to the proposed Springdale Solar Farm development.

I am the daughter of Robin Lees, one of the oldest farmers in the
Gundaroo district whose property and wellbeing would be adversely
affected by the proposed development.
I am also the cousin of Bruce Hall who owns the land for which the
development is planned (and the niece of Ian Lees, who sold his farm
to the residents whose dwellings adjoin the development area).

The land has been in our family for generations and is farming land.
It is not intended for commercial purposes - including solar farming -
as reflected in its RU1 zoning.

The proposed use of the land and the supporting infrastructure of the
development - including commercial buildings and industrial fencings -
does not respect the values of the local community and will negatively
impact on residents' vistas, lifestyles and property values.

I do not object to solar farming. My objection is the location of the
solar panels. A commercial development of this size is not appropriate
on residential land for which commercial and electrical generation
purposes are not permissible.

The impact is significant:
1. Devastating impact on properties and significant impact on our
small/residential area. A lot of landowners will now overlook solar
panels. Their properties will be impacted by dust storms created from
lack of grass under the panels.
2. The scale of the proposed site is 850 acres. This is the size of
Bonner, a suburb in Canberra.
3. The supporting infrastructure includes commercial buildings up to
3,500m2, industrial fencing and security cameras operating 24 hours, 7
days per week. This development will result in significant disruption
to local residents for many years.
4. Construction traffic generated by 200 workers for 12 months will
create noise pollution in a peaceful, rural area.
5. There is no existing infrastructure to support such large-scale
development with the roads leading in to this property either dirt or
a poor asphalt.

I also question the value of such an investment when the power
generation proposed will be 100 mega watt. South Australia's Teslar
battery capacity is 129mega watt, only producing enough electricity
for 30,000 homes for JUST ONE HOUR.

And as the land is located in a valley, solar power generated will be
limited for a significant period due to winter frosts.

Is this really an appropriate use of land zoned residential?
Is this investment of $115 million by the government worth the
disruption to a local community that has invested in property based on
residential zoning?

For all this disruption and financial loss to property values, the
compensation being proposed to residents is worth only $100,000. This
is despite the landowner, Bruce Hall, receiving a material sum for
leasing the land and the government funding this project by $105
million.

As Mr Kerrigan from The Castle noted "It's not a house. It's a home".
The residents and farmers of Sutton and Gundaroo community should be
respected.

Springdale Solar farm proposal does not respect current zoning,
significantly impacts residents (financial and environmental outlook)
with limited benefits to our society.