Report on solar farms due next month

The fates of four largescale solar farm applications for the City of Greater Shepparton will become clearer next month.

An independent planning panel’s report into four solar farm projects for the Goulburn Valley has been handed down to Victoria’s planning minister, the News understands.

Findings soon: An independent planning panel hearing
 into four solar farm proposals for the Greater Shepparton
area was held earlier this year.

A Victorian Government spokesperson said the planning panel had considered the four Greater Shepparton applications, and their findings would help inform new guidelines.

‘‘We’re developing clear guidelines for the assessment of solar farm applications in Victoria — to give locals certainty and support jobs,’’ the spokesperson said.

The News understands the minister is considering the recommendations with the report set to be released in September.

The government will consider the findings of the panel, as well as actions in other states, to develop solar farm guidelines that work for Victoria, the News understands.

A planning panel hearing into four solar proposals for the Greater Shepparton area wrapped up in May.

Across five sitting days, it heard from landholders, objectors, water authorities, planning experts, the council and the solar developers.

The panel had previously been urged by several submitters on the need for a clear set of guidelines around solar farm proposals to be developed.

The proceedings follow Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s office calling in the four proposals after the council had requested their outcome be determined by the minister’s office; an outcome the council had welcomed as ‘’sensible’’.

The panel is also set to be providing advice to the energy minister about how future solar farm applications will be assessed in Victoria, the News understands.

The applications for solar farm proposals in Lemnos, Tatura East, Congupna and Tallygaroopna constitute hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs with the projects estimated to produce hundreds of megawatts of power.

But there are concerns about the best use of prime agricultural land and fears large-scale solar farms could have an impact on nearby farming practices.

Following recommendations being handed down by the panel, the minister can approve, reject or green light the permits, with conditions attached.

Councillors had said the proposals were problematic for the council to determine.

Chief among the council’s concern with determining the applications was whether the loss of productive agricultural land for a solar farm produces acceptable planning outcomes.

Story by Thomas Moir The Shepparton News - “Report on solar farms due next month.”