Public comment open on wind farm development application

A company has lodged a development application for a $350 million wind farm in the state’s North-West.

THE company behind a wind farm project admits the development will have an visual impact on the landscape but its isolated location will limit its exposure.

UPC Renewables has lodged its development application for its proposed Jim’s Plain Renewable Energy Park, in Tasmania’s far North-West, with the Circular Head Council and it is now open for public comment.

The $350 million development, over 687ha, is about 20km from Smithton.

The wind farm will have up to 31 wind turbines and solar PV with a capacity of up to 240MW. Each wind turbine generator will have a clearance area of up to one hectare and a maximum tip height of 220m.

UPC Renwables also plans to construct a wind farm on nearby Robbins Island – just off the Tasmanian mainland and across Robbins Passage from Jim’s Plain.

CONCRETE BRIDGE TO LINK PROJECT TO TASSIE MAINLAND

“Due to the size of the wind turbine generators and low lying nature of the project site, there is limited visual mitigation that can be applied and hence the project will result in a visual

impact to the landscape,” the development application says.

“However the project’s isolated location will limit its exposure to receivers. A shadow flicker assessment has been undertaken, which identified no impact on surrounding residences.”

Turbines at the nearby Woolnorth wind farm.

The company says wedge-tailed eagles and Tasmanian devils could be impacted during the project’s construction and operational phases.

“The primary mitigation measure to reduce the potential for impacts on fauna is the vigilant siting of infrastructure to avoid removal of critical fauna habitat and native vegetation as far as practicable,” it said.

“Impacts are also possible during the operational phase of the project, predominantly through

the risk of bird strike from wind turbine generators.”

A helicopter survey found two eagle nests nearby.

But the company said the nests were more than 950m from the project site.

The DA will be independently assessed by the Circular Head Council, the Tasmanian Government’s Environment Protection Authority and the Federal Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.