The state government has approved the construction of a mega solar farm 25 kilometres west of Tamworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Tamworth Solar Farm will include about 200,000 panels, with the capacity to power as many as 30,000 homes and displace 131 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
The energy project, on Soldiers Settlement Road at Bective, will be attached to a 19-megawatt hour battery storage unit.
The state significant development was approved by Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes this week.
READ MORE:
According to the scheme's notice of decision, it would provide "a range of benefits for the region and the state as a whole" including generating capital investment of about $104 million.
The project would create as many as 200 construction jobs.
And NSW Government Agencies and Tamworth Regional Council were supportive of the project, the notice said.
"Issues raised by the community during consultation and in submission have been considered and adequately addressed through changes to the project and the recommended conditions of consent; and weighing all relevant considerations, the project is in the public interest, subject to strict conditions of consent."
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment received just one community submission against the project, plus four in favour.
The proponent will be required to seal sections of Babbinboon and Warminster Roads for a distance of 100m either side of houses near the road to support road quality and dust suppression.
It will also be required to mitigate the potential visual impact of the mega project by planting a vegetation screen.
And proponent Tamworth Solar Farm Pty Ltd will be required to "maintain the agricultural land capability of the site" including by permitting grazing within its development footprint. The power plant should occupy about 206 hectares of land.
