Two south-west shires have formally written to the state government expressing their disappointment about a lack of consultation regarding a proposed wind farm in Garvoc.
Corangamite Shire councillors unanimously voted on Tuesday night to write to minister for climate action Lily D'Ambrosio, minister for planning Sonya Kilkenny and developer RE Future following what south-central ward Cr Jo Beard described as a "cop-out" decision to lodge an application with the Victorian Planning Minister without informing the council or the community earlier.
"This is a cop-out by RE Future," she said.
"At the end of the day, this is an applicant that has total disrespect for the community thinking they can just come in and put their application in and co-exist without any questions or commentary with the people they need to co-habitate with.
"... People have just generally had enough.
"They're not saying they're against renewable energy and neither are we, but there's got to be some common sense about the approach that those with authority take to this."
Moyne Shire council took the same action on Tuesday night. The Swansons Lane Wind Farm proposal would see three wind turbines installed in Corangamite Shire and another three in neighbouring Moyne Shire.
Project director Severin Staalesen recently told The Standard the decision to lodge the planning application was a change from their previous process and that anti-wind-farm activists had forced the company's hand.
"We acknowledge that in the past we and other wind farm proponents used to notify local councils earlier in the development process, but lately certain members of the community have sought to stymie renewable energy projects by gaming the planning system in this early phase of the development process," he said.
"As a result it's no longer feasible for us to notify councils as early as we used to."
Mayor Ruth Gstrein said while the developer hadn't broken any rules, she believed its actions weren't in-line with "best-practice".
"This isn't about the wind farm application, this is about the lack of respect to the community around Garvoc, a lack of respect to Corangamite Shire and Moyne Shire," she said.
"The state government does have best-practice guidelines on consultation and engagement and RE Future's chosen not to follow those and that's really disappointing."
But Mr Staalesen said in a recent project the company was also criticised for starting community consultation "too early".
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Jessica Greenan
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
