Locals in a beautiful rural area are rebelling against plans for a large solar farm in their backyard, despite reportedly being offered $20,000 to stop their opposition.
Angry residents are gathering at a public meeting on Thursday night to object to the Wallaroo Solar Farm, which will cover nearly 400 hectares, or about 750 rugby fields, of pastureland northwest of the Australian Capital Territory border in the Yass Valley City Council area.
Project developers New Energy Development and Univergy International plan to install enough panels to generate approximately 100 MW. That is enough energy for approximately 48,000 households per year. However, according to locals, this will come at the expense of the amenities in the area.
According to farmer and former Brumbies rugby player Lachlan McCaffrey, even a so-called ‘neighbour agreement’, in which locals were offered $20,000 not to object to the solar farm’s noise, vibration, visible traffic or impact on water quality, has failed to quiet opposition.
“All the locals got this ridiculous offer,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB on Thursday.
‘It was almost a secret agreement: you sign this and regardless of the environmental consequences, you are not allowed to object.
‘Almost all the residents laughed about it. We are community-oriented here.
“They want us to sign these agreements so that some super-rich solar executives in Canada and Japan can make more money.
Farmer and former Brumbies rugby star Lachlan McCaffrey (pictured with wife Tash McCaffrey and daughters Harper, 5, and Mia, 2) objects to the Wallaroo Solar Farm
“They’ve never been to Wallaroo so they don’t even know what the impact is. They just gave a rough figure to shut people up.”
McCaffrey, who played primarily as a lock forward for the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby, but also for the NSW Waratahs and Western Force, told the Canberra Times last week: ‘Everyone here is just disgusted about this whole thing.
‘It’s crazy. Everything we want to protect here – the beautiful views, the space, the peace, the environment – is under threat.
‘One landowner makes a lot of money from this and the rest suffer.
An impression of the Wallaroo Solar Farm, which will cover 400 hectares of pastureland
The planned solar park would generate approximately 100 MW, which is enough energy for about 48,000 households per year.
“This is a battle we cannot lose because everything we have worked for over the years, all the reasons we came here to Wallaroo, are now under threat.”
McCaffrey told 2GB that a real estate expert warned him that there will be “hundreds of thousands of dollars in depreciation from installing these solar panels.”
Despite 88 of 97 unique public submissions opposing the project, which will generate approximately 100MW, enough energy to power about 48,000 homes per year, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is supporting the proposal.
Due to strong opposition, including from Yass City Council, the project has been referred to the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC).
McCaffrey accused the developer and the New South Wales planning department of being out of touch with local interests.
“They are so naive about the situation here,” he told 2GB.
‘These solar companies are not based in Australia and therefore have no interest in Australia or the local community here.
McCaffrey says the Wallaroo Solar Farm would devalue his and other properties in the region
Residents claim the planned solar park would detract from the natural environment at the foot of the Brindabellas
‘NSW ministers and planning staff have also not been to Wallaroo.’
They look at Google Images from their fancy offices and make big decisions that could negatively impact families here.
‘I just ask them to drive down the highway and see where they are releasing it on a beautiful meadow at the foot of the Brindabellas across the Murrumbidgee River.
‘There are thousands of residents here without the right to vote who are being negatively affected and no politician is going to support and help them.
“It’s just crazy.”
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Planning said the The Wallaroo Solar Farm assessment ‘thoroughly considered the potential environmental and community impacts of the proposal’.
The spokesperson said that ‘key issues such as energy security, land use compatibility and visual impact’ were also taken into account.
“Ultimately, DPHI’s assessment concluded that the project could be approved on balance, subject to strict conditions, with DPHI referring the proposal to the IPC for a final decision,” the spokesperson said.
‘The IPC will assess the proposal as an independent decision-maker at a distance from the government.’
New Energy Development and Univergy have been contacted for comment.
