$6.5 million solar farm to generate jobs and power

RENEWABLES are creating jobs for locals as mining struggles with FIFO and skill shortages.

A development application has been lodged with Byron Shire Council for a $6.5 million solar farm at Tyagarah. Picture: Contributed

A SOLAR farm worth more than $6.5 million has been proposed for Grays Lane at Tyagarah.

A development application for the 5 megawatt solar farm was lodged with Byron Shire Council on April 9.

The DA for Byron Bay Solar Farm was lodged by Dr Greg Wilding of Coolamon Energy PL, to be built on a property owned by Dieter Horstmann, named Eagle Farm, at 19 Grays Lane.

The solar panels will occupy 6.3 hectares of the 73.53 hectare property located on the north side of Grays Lane close to the intersection with the Pacific Highway and south of Tyagarah Airfield.

Reports attached to the DA state the solar panels are unlikely to cause a glare problem for aircraft using the nearby airstrip as they are non-reflective, and cite instances of similar solar farms located near airstrips around the world that have no reported issues.

The land is deemed "flood liable", but suggested landfill would create a platform and panels would be 1400mm above the ground, clear of one-in-one hundred year flood level.

The DA said: "Historically there is what appears to have been a horse racing or training track in the vicinity".

There is a range of current land uses including grazing, residential (rural) and a large section in the north that is forest vegetation.

The DA said the development would have no impact on neighbouring views, and no domestic housing, nor rural buildings overlook the site.

Construction was estimated to take 12-14 weeks once approval was granted.

The applicant claimed the project would create jobs and would help to meet Byron Shire's electricity demand.