THE Environmental Assessment Report for the Kyoto Energy Park that is proposed to be built on mountain ranges near Scone is still on public exhibition.
The renewable energy park under application by Pamada Pty Ltd of Sydney includes wind, solar and smart load technologies as well as mini-hydro energy storage.
The park is planned to be built at Mountain Station and Middlebrook Station, which are both located along Bunnan Rd, north-west of Scone.
However, a number of residents from rural landholdings in view of the proposed energy park have formed a group, the Upper Hunter Landscape Guardians, which is opposed to the development, mainly due to the windturbines.
Wind power will be a major part of the park and residents are concerned about noise and health effects the turbines will have on those living within 3km of the site.
Many residents are also concerned about the visual impact of 42, 150 metre tall wind turbines.
The number of turbines has been reduced by five, lessening the visual impact of the turbines on Castle Rock.
The Environmental Assess-ment Report has been put on public exhibition for 30 days and will close on July 20.
The Upper Hunter Shire Council had put an application into the Department of Planning to have the report time frame extended to 60 days, but was refused.
They have asked the department to reconsider.
Gordon Halliday from the Upper Hunter Landscape Guardians said it was unfair the community only had a short time frame to read the report.
“You’ve got this month to read 1500 pages that has taken literally years to put together,” he said.
Mr Halliday said concerned residents should go to the open forum hosted by the Upper Hunter Landscape Guardians on Tuesday, July 7 between 4pm and 8pm at St Luke’s Hall Liverpool St Scone.
“We’re hoping that the information from the forum will help people respond to the application,” he said.
Mr Halliday said several residents living north west of Scone were concerned about the lack of specifics about where the power lines would run.
He said he did not know if the powerlines would lead to the Scone or the Muswellbrook sub-station, so there were several options for powerlines.
Mr Halliday said the Kyoto Energy Park would be 92 per cent wind power, six per cent solar power and two per cent hydro.
“If it was solar based it would be generally acceptable,” Mr Halliday said.
A media statement issued by Pamada on Tuesday afternoon said Scone would host one of the world’s largest Solar Photovoltaic (PV) arrays on the Mount Moobi plateau as part of the Kyoto Energy Park.
The statement said stage one would be 10 mega watt capacity but could grow over time.
“Being modular means that solar PV plants can be quite easily installed where the energy is used, reducing losses from transporting energy over large distances,” the press release said.
The Kyoto Energy Park will produce equivalent electricity for 62,000 homes.
The Environmental Assessment Report is currently on exhibition at www.kyotoenergypark.com.au and copies are available from the council and the library.
The Kyoto Energy Park Display Office next to Coles is also open until Saturday,
July 4.
Contact Jamie Chivers on 8228 7695 to make an
appointment.
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