The Middlebrook Solar Farm proposal received 120 objections

The development proposed 22 kilometres south of Tamworth in Loomberah includes 530 hectares of solar panels, a Battery Energy Storage System and supporting infrastructure.

Issues raised while the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was on display until August 3 were about biodiversity, Aboriginal cultural heritage and visual and traffic effects.

Loomberah resident Liz Crowe, who told the Leader in June she would fight the project which threatens to obstruct views from her home, listed mental health as among the reasons the project should be dismissed.

"Given the position of our home, we are fortunate to be able to come home and sit on our deck and look out over the valley, this gives us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, which keeps us in a positive mindset," her submission read.

"If this project goes ahead, this will be taken away from us as we will be looking at thousands upon thousands of solar panels."

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Mrs Crowe said in her submission that the development had already had an enormous affect on her and her husband's mental health.

"Increased stress causes all sorts of flow-on effects, stress on our marriage, reduced sleep, and reduced performance at work," she said.

"We are desperately trying to protect our way of life, not only for us, but for our two young boys, for whom we have worked so hard to provide this lifestyle."

A response to submissions is required from developers by September 15, and must include a response to advice raised by agencies such as Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and Heritage NSW.

TfNSW said traffic counts and proposed peak periods in the EIS were unreliable because they were based on counts from one day only.

Insufficient information was provided for Heritage NSW to advise on whether the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report was adequate, and recommended further investigations.

The Biodiversity, Conservation and Science directorate said the Biodiversity Development Assessment report was "likely to underestimate" effects of the proposal, and recommended additional work.

Submissions made in support of the development listed climate change and economic boosts among the reasons the project should go ahead.

An anonymous supporter from Nemingha said a well-designed project would reduce visual effects on neighbours.

"Our transition to a sustainable and responsible supply relies on having projects like these being rolled out," the response read.

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