The Yass Valley Wind Farm proposal by Epuron has been given the green light by the New South Wales Department of Planning, although the Department has given approval only for 79 turbines located in the Coppabella Precinct.
Epuron’s original proposal was for 152 turbines located across three distinct precincts and transmission infrastructure in a fourth. The number of turbines was subsequently reduced to 124 turbines.
In the Revised Assessment Report for the project, the final assessment concluded that:
“The impacts of the western part of the project comprising 79 turbines (i.e. the Coppabella precinct) can be effectively managed to achieve acceptable environmental and amenity outcomes for the local community, and should be approved, subject to conditions.
However, due to the significant landscape and visual impacts of the eastern part of the project, the Marilba and Conroy’s Gap Extension precincts should not be approved.”
The report also detailed that affected landowners in the Coppabella precinct had come to an agreement with Epuron, and that it “would not result in any significant impacts on threatened species or ecological communities.”
The Department also determined that there was insufficient justification for the building of the 330Kv Connection Precinct, although they did admit that a new application or a modification could be made in the near future for a 330Kv transmission line following the construction of the turbines in the Coppabella precinct.
The Coppabella precinct straddles both the Yass Valley and Harden Shire Councils, and the Department has recommended that Epuron enters into a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) with both Councils.
