The proponent of the proposed Stockyard Hill Wind Facility will be required to submit a planning permit application to the Minister for Planning. The following information provides some basic information as a guide only. Please visit the Department of Planning and Community Development for full information about the planning process for Wind Facilities in Victoria.
When will the Planning Application be lodged?
Wind Power will lodge the application when they have all their reports completed and presumably at a time that is most advantageous for their proposed project. The most recent comments from Wind Power indicate it is likely to be submitted in early 2009.
How will neighbours and the public know when it has been lodged?
A ‘Notice of An Application for Planning Permit’ will be placed in local papers and sent out to landholders in a 5km radius of the proposed wind facility. This notice will inform you of the following:
? Location of the land affected
? What the permit is for
? Who the application is (Wind Power Pty Ltd)
? Who the “Responsible Authority” is (in this case the Minister for Planning)
? Where you can look at the application documents (possibly in the Pyrenees Council offices, DSE offices, Beaufort Community Resource Centre)
? How to put in a submission/objection (i.e., in writing)
Who is the Responsible Authority?
The Minister for Planning, currently Justin Madden MLC will be the responsible authority for this proposed wind facility. The Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for all wind facilities over 30 MW.The relevant local council is the responsible authority for facilities under 30 MW.
Lodging a Submission/Objection
From the time a planning permit application is lodged you will have 6 weeks to submit a written submission/objection. In your submission, you must include the reasons for the objection and state how you would be affected. Submissions/objections play a crucial role in the planning process and are a way for affected landholders/public to have their issues heard and considered. Over 1500 submissions were made for the Dollar Wind Farm, and 400 at the recent Lal Lal wind facility.
Planning Panels Victoria
A 3 or 4 member panel will be set up by Panels Victoria to hear submissions and make recommendations to the Minister regarding the planning application. Planning Panels are supposed to facilitate public participation in the planning and environmental decision-making process. They play an advisory role and make recommendations in a “Planning Panel Report” for the Minister for Planning. The Minister for Planning may or may not accept the recommendations of the panel in his final decision regarding the wind facility. The panel members will take a very detailed tour of the proposed site during the panel hearing and may visit submitter's sites if they deem it necessary or desirable (i.e., to look at visual amenity).
Panel Hearings
If you lodge a submission/objection to the planning permit application, Planning Panels Victoria will ask you if you would like to appear in person at the panel hearings. They are required to provide a reasonable opportunity for people to be heard at the hearing. Basically, you must be notified of forthcoming hearings, be asked if you want to be heard, be provided an opportunity to be heard, have your submission taken into account as part of the Panels deliberation. You also have the right to representation, and your submission and attendance at the hearing must be acknowledged in the Panel Report.
More Information about the Proposed Stockyard Hill Wind Facility
1. Preliminary Reports for the proposed Stockyard Hill Wind Farm are available on the DPCD website - Planning section, Environmental Assessments, Recent Referrals (or google “recent ees referrals”).
2. Wind Power Pty Ltd website – the proponent of the development. Contact information is: Level 3, 765 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Ph: 9819 0117, Fax: 9819 0120, Email: info@wind-power.com.au. As part of their “community consultation” they are supposed to provide you with information about the project.
More Information about the Planning Process
Visit the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) website:
1. Policy and Planning Guidelines for Development of Wind Energy Facilities in Victoria. Available from DPCD website - Planning, Planning Permits, Permit Types, Wind Energy Facilities.
2. Planning Information is available on the DPCD website, including the Planning and Environmental Act 1987, Planning and Environmental Regulations 1998, Using Victoria’s Planning Scheme November 2007. Planning: A Short Guide, and information about Planning Panels Victoria (What is a Panel?).
3. Wind Projects in Victoria list is available on Department of Primary Industries website. Note this only shows proposed projects that have submitted preliminary or full planning applications - many other projects are in the feasibility stage.
Information about Planning Schemes
The Pyrenees Planning Scheme is the instrument by which the use and development of land within the Shire is controlled with the object of ensuring orderly and economic growth of the community. The Planning Scheme plays an important role in the decision-making process and must be taken into consideration – this could include zoning and overlays for environmental significance, heritage significance, flood, fire etc. Council has updated its planning scheme and this is available at the Shire Office for perusal, it is also available on DPCD website.
Attending other Panel Hearings
The public may attend Panel hearings for other wind facilities – they are open to everyone. Contact Planning Panels Victoria for a schedule of panel hearings on Ph: 9637 9690 or email: planning.panels@dpcd.vic.gov.au
Panel Reports
Panel Reports from past panels are easily found on the internet. They can provide a lot of information about how the panel reviews submissions. Search by the name of the wind facility e.g., “Waubra Wind Farm Panel Report” or "Oaklands Wind Farm Panel Report".
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