Further to our update earlier this week, we have now received correspondence from the Department of Transport and Planning that the Minister will not make a decision on the Delburn Wind Farm Planning Permit Amendment application before 18 September, 2023.
The applications request minor amendments to the wording of several of the Planning Permit conditions to improve understanding and interpretation, as well as ensuring the enforceability of the permit requirements.
Specific proposed amendments to the conditions include:
- Clarifying the wind turbine setback distances from the Strzelecki Highway
- Making minor changes to the Bushfire Risk and Mitigation conditions to remove any uncertainty in what the conditions mean and how they are to be applied including:
- Clarifying that five water tanks are required in aggregate across all elements of the Delburn Wind Farm site
- Removing a condition in each planning permit regarding perimeter fire breaks. (This requirement is part of the CFA guidelines for solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS), not wind energy facilities.) These proposed changes have been agreed to by the CFA.
- Updating the Latrobe Planning Permit in accordance with AusNet’s revised position on minimum setback distance between wind turbines and transmission lines. AusNet has confirmed its support for this revised requirement.
- Clarifying that only dwellings that exist at the date of the approval of the off-site landscaping program will qualify for landscaping screening.
Details of the applications to amend the Planning Permit can be found by visiting the Ministerial permits register website at planning.vic.gov.au/planning-approvals/ministerial-permits-register and searching by the permit number (PA2001063, PA2001064, PA2001065 and PA2001066).
Any person who may be affected by the proposed amendment can object or make other submissions to the Planning Minster by email to [email protected] or by post to Attention: Jeff Neville, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, VIC 3002. The Minister will not make a decision on the Delburn Wind Farm Planning Permit Amendment application before 18 September, 2023.
If you have any questions regarding the amendment application, please call 1800 676 428, email [email protected] or drop into our office at 66 Ridgway, Mirboo North.
