The solar farm on Burkes Creek Road was granted approval, despite protests from farmers. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
A $5 million solar farm and battery energy storage system planned for prime agricultural land on Burkes Creek Road has been granted Southern Regional Planning Panel approval, leaving residents devastated.
Karen Masson, a beef farmer from The Rock, who lives next door to the site, told Region the development had been listed as approved on the government planning portal.
“Our community is gutted,” she said.
“None of us have been notified personally despite being registered objectors.
“There are huge contamination, fire and stormwater risks and concerns and devaluation of surrounding properties.”
The decision was condemned by the NSW Farmers Federation in Wagga.
“This solar farm only occupies 0.97 per cent of class three land in Wagga, but they’re not taking into consideration the other solar panel farms around the place,” Annette Wheaton, a farmer who lives at the back of the approved Burkes Creek solar farm, said.
Ms Wheaton claimed there wasn’t any communication from Green Gold Energy, the South Australian company leading the project.
“The only consultation we got was when we forced ourselves onto the council,” she said.
“The only time we saw [the company] was at that meeting at the Southern Regional Planning Panel.”
Region asked Green Gold Energy why registered objectors were not notified of the development decision and if members of the community were consulted, but did not receive a response.
A Wagga Wagga City Council spokesperson said the proposed solar farm was granted approval on 26 June, subject to conditions.
“The planning panel’s determination and statement of reasons for its decision are available on its website,” the spokesperson said.
“Landowners surrounding the site of the proposed development were sent letters, details of the application were published on council’s website and an advertisement was placed on the subject site.”
Ms Wheaton said these letters were sent during the middle of harvest.
“Everyone was busy and couldn’t really drop everything to do something about this,” she said.
“We got a deferral but, to get that, we had to go to (MPs) Joe McGirr and Michael McCormack to put a bit of pressure on the council … because they knew how busy we were.”
The formal Development Consent notice is being prepared, and public notification letters will be issued as well as being made available on council’s website.
