Approvals Process

Overview

Under Victorian law, a planning permit is required to construct a wind energy facility and many requirements must be met before the government approves the construction of a wind farm. The Delburn Wind Farm has been designed to not only meet these requirements but exceed them where possible.

Prior to lodging an application to build the wind farm, referrals were made to the Victorian Minister for Planning to determine if an Environmental Effects Statement (EES) was required for the project and to the Commonwealth Government to determine if approval were required under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.

In July 2020,the Victorian Minister for Planning and the Federal Minister for Environment determined  the project is not a controlled action under the Commonwealth EBPC Act and did not require an Environmental Effects Statement.

Questions?

Contact our team if you have any questions about the project.

Planning Applications

To gain approval to build the Delburn Wind Farm, the project required planning permits under the provisions of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. In December 2020, three planning applications were submitted to build a wind energy facility (one for each local government area, being Latrobe City, South Gippsland Shire and Baw Baw Shire) and a planning application for a utility installation (terminal station and supporting infrastructure to connect to the grid) to the Minister for Planning.

Public Consultation

Notices of application were sent to all residents within 5 kms of the wind farm boundary and the information was published in local papers. All documentation relating to the project was available on the DELWP Planning website. The period for formal public comment closed on 18 August, 2021. Anyone who made a submission was asked if they wished to be heard at the public panel hearing. The Panel Hearing was livestreamed from Monday 18th October 2021 to Friday 5th November.

file folder and Stack of business report paper file on the table in a work office

Planning Permit Approval

  • The Minister for Planning, Hon Mr Richard Wynne MP issued four planning permits for the Delburn Wind Farm on 27 March, 2022. Specifically he approved for the Wind Energy Facility:
  • Permit Application PA2001063: Latrobe Planning Scheme, without the battery energy storge system
  • Permit Application PA2001064: Baw Baw Planning Scheme
  • Permit Application PA2001066: South Gippsland Planning Scheme and 

For the Terminal Station

  • Permit Application PA2001065: Latrobe Planning Scheme

The approval is for the construction of 33 Turbines and associated terminal station within the HVP Thorpdale Tree Farm. 

The Minister did not approve the construction of the Battery Energy Storage System, on the recommendation of the Panel that found the information provided about the siting and fire-safety measures for the BESS was inadequate for it to recommend in favour of it at this stage.

In issuing the approval, Minister Wynne also approved the release of the Panel Report. All documents were published on the DELWP website.In May 2022, a Supreme Court appeal was lodged against the Victorian Planning Minister’s decision to grant planning permits for the Delburn Wind Farm.

In March 2023, the Supreme Court validated the wind farm met the requirements of Schedule 1 to Clause 52.32 of the Latrobe Planning Scheme. Copies of the planning application and approval documentation can be viewed at our Mirboo North office

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