Faraday residents fear a solar farm proposed for the area would be visually intrusive and may damage property and tourism values.
Tetris Energy is proposing to establish 15,176 low-reflective photovoltaic solar panels at a 12-hectare site about six kilometres northeast of Castlemaine at 3040 Harmony Way, Faraday.
Last week several residents in the area met with Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards, overlooking the proposed site, to raise concerns they hold about the development.
“The location is highly visible on the crest of a hill and there are 15 properties within one kilometre of it,” John MacIntyre told the Express.
Mr MacIntyre said he was concerned about a lack of public consultation around the proposal and was now among several local landholders who had lodged formal objections with the state planning department.
“We would like to see the whole thing go back to enable more consultation,” he said.
“Properties immediately adjacent are also concerned about noise and there are also some concerns about fire risk.
“I think everyone agrees solar is the way to go and I have solar panels on my own roof but I think this proposal would be better located on flat land to the north of Bendigo where there is more space between properties, and not on a ridge that’s highly visible.
“But I understand that one of the developers’ main concern is proximity to the grid.”
Another local resident Jim Steel expressed similar concerns.
“We believe this is not an appropriate site for a large, ugly industrial solar farm with associated infrastructure,” Mr Steel said.
“There are hundreds of more suitable sites available on flat, isolated land elsewhere in Victoria.”
Tetris Energy’s proposal for the renewable energy development can be view at the state planning department’s website.
It summarises the project as involving use and development of the land for a renewable energy facility (solar), utility installation and associated earthworks.
The project is also expected to involve alteration of access to a road zone, removal of native vegetation and installation of business signage.
A number of landholders and residents from the area have jointly written to the state planning minister requesting “an urgent review of the proposal” while also calling for it to be rejected.
They argue that the site is not suitable and does not meet the government’s Solar Energy Facilities Design and Development Guidelines, requiring mutual benefit for the community.
“None of the residents have any issue with solar power – the issue is the proposed location and the lack of consultation with local residents and the traditional owners of the land. The project seems to have crept up on us by stealth,” the residents jointly stated in their letter to the minister.
