Wind turbine causes grief for Phillip Island residents
Phillip Island residents are fuming over a 10.5m wind turbine on a residential property at Surf Beach. They are pleading with the council to stop the landowner who refuses to budge on his plans.
Bass Coast News
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Phillip Island residents are fuming over a 10.5 m wind turbine planned for the backyard of a residential property at Surf Beach.
The Bass Coast Shire Council says according to Victorian building regulations a permit is not required for the turbine as it is less than 11m.
But Phillip Island local Ray Carson, who has been a resident of the area for 29 years, and told The Bass Coast News neighbours were up in arms about the plan.
“All our residents down at Surf Beach are quite concerned and have a lot of anxiety about it,” Mr Carson said.
“It’s actually absurd. It shouldn’t have seen the light of day”.
Mr Carson believes the object is a health and safety risk with it being “only metres” from bedrooms.
He said the Bass Coast Shire Council should put a stop to construction and investigate.
“We thought the council would have a duty of care in this particular incident and they clearly haven’t at the moment,” Mr Carson said.
The Bass Coast Shire Council chief executive Ali Wastie said the council was taking feedback from the community “extremely seriously” and was investigating further.
“We acknowledge a turbine this size in a residential setting is not a good community outcome,” she said.
“Council officers have requested further information from the land owner to assist whether a planning permit may be required”.
Ms Wastie said she had contacted the landowner and requested construction of the turbine “does not proceed until this assessment has been made”.
But Ms Wastie acknowledged that it appeared the turbine did not require a building permit.
“Despite community opinion and the opinion of some building surveyors in the community this advice has been double checked and triple checked and has been confirmed by the Victorian Building Authority,” she said.
“The Victorian Building Authority have confirmed that the turbine is an unclassified structure therefore exempted from regulation”.
Mr Carson believes Bass Coast Shire Council must do more.
“It’s up to the local council, they do have the power to stop it if they think it’s inappropriate”.
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