New state government guidelines have paved the way for the proponents of the Bookaar solar farm to bypass Corangamite council if it makes a second bid to get the project off the ground.
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But just whether Infinergy will make any attempt to get the project approved is up in the air with the company refusing to make any comment on its plans.
The $150 million solar farm hit a roadblock last month when its appeal against the council's decision to refuse a permit for the project was knocked back by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The state government this week announced that new planning guidelines were now in place for large scale solar developments, making the minister for planning the responsible authority and brings solar into line with wind farms.
Mayor Neil Trotter described the VCAT decision as unusual.
"It was more or less inviting them to resubmit," Cr Trotter said.
"I've never seen one like it before."
He said if the company was to resubmit plans, he hoped that it was to the state government rather than to the council.
"It's a matter of timing," he said.
"It's been an expensive process for us to go through and we're not really relishing the thought of going through it again."
Cr Trotter estimated the council forked out $120,000 on legal fees when this issue was taken to VCAT.
He said any application Infinergy made to revive the project would have to address the reasons it was knocked back by the tribunal such as drainage, fire control and lack of detail.
Cr Trotter said some of the other issues the council had raised as reasons to refuse the initial permit, such as visual landscape amenity and loss of farming land, were discounted by the tribunal.
The minister for planning Richard Wynne introduced an amendment of all Victorian planning schemes which brings solar permit assessments into line with large scale windfarms by making the planning minister the responsible authority.
"This consolidated approach will reduce the administrative burden on councils and provide consistent decision making across the state," he said.
The guidelines ensure new solar facilities are built in appropriate locations which can easily access the electricity transmission network and avoid or minimise impacts on their local environments.
It will also consider impacts on productive agricultural areas, irrigated areas and areas of environmental importance.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D'Ambriosio said Victoria was the renewable energy capital of Australia.
"These guidelines will strengthen market certainty - boost jobs, reduce emissions and drive down energy prices," she said.
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