Neoen Australia recently began consultation on a proposed site for their 1800 hectare, 1.5 million panel solar farm near the northern edge of Uralla Local Government Area, just to the south of the Armidale Airport and near to the Saumarez homestead precinct.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Neoen’s managing director Franck Woitiez said his company's aim was to do what was within its power to potentially develop a project that minimised impacts and provided maximum benefit to the Uralla and surrounding community.
Consistent engagement with the locals from the very beginning has always been integral to all projects we undertake.
- Franck Woitiez
"Neoen have been in contact with the Uralla Council since we began prospecting potential sites, along with the NSW Department of planning since the end of July," Mr Woitiez said.
"While we are still in very early stages, Neoen is committed to keeping an open dialogue and working closely with the local council, community and neighbours in Uralla to ensure they remain up to date on all proceedings.
"We will build upon the discussions we conducted in early August and the feedback we received and consult community members either individually or in small committees and then collectively through broader community meeting in due course."
ALSO READ:
The farm's proposed location concerned a group of local residents who formed the Saumarez Solar Farm Action Group, which will hold a meeting for concerned residents in the Invergowrie RFS Shed at 7pm on Tuesday, September 25.
Meeting co-organiser Don Hardman said the group received a letter from Neoen that neither accepted or rejected its invitation to address the gathering.
"At this very early stage of development, our preference is to first meet individually with each neighbour who has requested a consultation with Neoen," the letter read.
Mr Hardman said while the group was taking it as a refusal, Neoen representatives would be welcomed to the meeting nevertheless.
"It's an opportunity for them to tell the community what it's all about, and it does take away from the meeting if they're not there," he said.
While Uralla Mayor Michael Pearce has confirmed Uralla council was contacted by Neoen about the project, the Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall remained cautious, saying it was a pity he could not attend Tuesday's meeting due to Parliament sitting.
He said his office was not contacted about the project and he was positive neither had the Department of Planning.
"This seems to me to be the behaviour of a company that doesn't want to have a long-term relationship with our community," Mr Marshall said.
“It would appear, on the surface at least, that this company is looking to proof up a proposal, only to flog it off to another company to actually construct the project.
"I am very sceptical of this company, given that it's behaviour to date is very much out of step and completely in contrast with the other half a dozen or so other companies, which have been warmly welcomed into our region and successfully designed and completed renewable projects."