Oxley Solar Farm a step closer to approval despite universal opposition

The $430-million Oxley Solar Farm, planned for a site 14 kilometres south-east of Armidale, faces substantial opposition from the community, because it is close to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and homes in the Castle Doyle area.

The green energy project's development application (DA) was met with universal opposition, not a single public submission in favour of the project was made while 78 objected to the project.

In response, the project's developer Oxley Solar Development Pty Ltd, agreed to shrink the project to a third of its size - 895 hectares down to 268 hectares - and move the solar farm more than a kilometre away from the popular Blue Hole recreation area, which attracts about 70,000 visitors per year.

The Department of Planning and Evironment (DPE) determined last week that these changes "significantly reduce the impacts of the project and address some of the key issues raised by the community in submissions."

But since the project garnered more than 50 objections, it falls to the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to make a final decision.

The IPC has decided to host two public meetings on the proposed development on Tuesday October 17 at 3pm and Wednesday October 18 2023 at 10am at Dangarsleigh Hall, about 26 kilometres west of the proposed site.

Both meetings will be live streamed and members of the community can register to have their say in-person or over the phone via the commission's Speaker Registration Form.

The deadline to register is on Tuesday, October 10, and written submissions will be accepted until Wednesday, October 25.

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Armidale Regional Council will be having its own separate meeting with the IPC within the next two weeks.

Armidale's mayor Sam Coupland said he "doesn't have a strong opinion" on the DPE's decision to recommend the project, but if it is given final approval, he says he will fight to make sure Armidale gets as much benefit from the project as possible.

"Council has entered a planning agreement with Oxley Solar for 1.6 per cent of construction cost. The view that I take is one that the renewable energy zone (REZ) is coming. We can't stop it, but we can shape it," Cr Coupland said.

"It's really important the community understands all of these developments are state-significant developments and infrastructure. Council is cut out of the equation, our input is limited. It's only through joining forces with other councils in the New England REZ that we've started to get some traction."

Cr Coupland started the Coalition of Regional Energy Mayors (CoREM) in June with support from mayors from the New England REZ, the Central West Orana REZ, and the Hunter REZ, and said the success they'd had in making solar farms like this one pay their share and become less intrusive on the local community spoke to the strength of their joint efforts.

Armidale's neighbouring LGA Tamworth Regional Council joined the coalition in August.

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