Tamworth councillors have thrown their support behind North West communities impacted by the "wrong placement" of proposed renewable energy projects.
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At Tuesday night's meeting they voted in favour of raising the matter with the NSW government.
It came after Cr Mark Rodda put forward a motion to address the impact of the proposed Lambruk solar farm on the Loomberah community.
Mayor Russell Webb said he saw it as an opportunity for a more comprehensive response, and he proposed an amendment which would address 'all' current and future proposed renewable energy projects.
"The amendment will address all the renewable energy projects across the North West region, not just the one at Loomberah," Cr Russell Webb said.
"There are about 20 or so developments in the mix in terms of renewable energy projects across the local government area. We don't know what the cumulative impacts on those will be and no one is measuring that."
This amendment also covers the Bendemeer Energy Hub, Thunderbolt Windfarm, and Hills of Gold wind farm in Nundle.
Cr Webb said he proposed the amendment to make sure it would not "hit a brick wall with the government".
The amended motion included a requirement for developers to conduct "real" consultation with landholders, limit construction of transmission lines close to existing infrastructure, and conduct a regional assessment of the impact projects connected to the REZ are having on communities and councils.
The council will also target the state environmental planning policy in a bid to prohibit the development of renewable energy projects on prime agricultural land.
"This council advocates on behalf of the community as best they can and you've seen that with the Nundle project," Cr Webb said.
'We are only starting to understand'
Cr Judy Coates said the region is only just starting to feel the impacts of these projects.
"No one wants these projects in their own backyards," she said.
"But regional NSW and in particular the areas close to existing infrastructure, particularly substations and transmission lines, are having them foisted onto them.
"I recall my submission about the Hills of Gold wind farm. If that wind farm was proposed for the Blue Mountains, there would have been a large outcry."
The majority of these projects, she said, are "opportunistically located".
"They are convenient and they are cheaper, because they are near these transmission lines, meaning they can happen quicker. I personally think this is the wrong reason for location choice," she said.
Cr Bede Burke said he personally found the information sessions for communities quite "wishy washy".
"Recently, I heard a number of landholders say, 'They had a phone call about the route for the transmission line, and five minutes later they received a letter'," he said.
"I'm totally opposed to this particular location [Lambruk], but I am absolutely in support of this amendment in having a strategic plan on how we approach the state and federal government."
A victory for Loomberah
More than 25 Loomberah community members were at last night's meeting, where three representatives from Loomberah Family and Farmland Inc. (LFF) - Ben Wynn, Sam Newsome and Robyn Wealand - shared their personal stories and experiences.
Cr Brooke Southwell said it's important the community keeps up the fight.
"Unfortunately, in some cases, the council does not have a say on the state government's significant project," she said.
"But, we do our best to fight this as much as we can. There is a lot more behind this amendment and what it will do is provide a lot more strength.
"The fact we are trying to preserve our prime agricultural land is quite significant."