Winterbourne Wind Farm: Uralla Shire Council to vote whether to have representative on committee

Councillors will vote at the February ordinary meeting on Tuesday whether or not to have a council representative on this committee.

The committee is needed before completing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.

Winterbourne Wind's proposed project would see up to 126 wind turbine generators built on a 24,400 hectare area, with a combined maximum installed capacity of 700 megawatts.

Winterbourne Wind said in its 2020 stakeholder engagement and consultation strategy the proposed site was "immediately north and east of the Walcha township" and "may be visible from certain locations in Walcha".

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It would also include an internal electrical reticulation network (both overhead and underground), three on-site substations, new and upgraded access roads, temporary construction facilities, and operation and maintenance buildings.

Thirty kilometres of 330kV overhead transmission line running through the wind farm would be included, which would connect to the existing grid network operated by TransGrid at a new switchyard 7km south of Uralla.

The wind farm would "deliver renewable, low-cost energy to the national grid, and will contribute to the NSW Government's net-zero emissions target by 2050", according to Winterbourne Wind.

"The project consultation is in its early stages and community members will be given the opportunity to have genuine input," the company wrote in its stakeholder engagement and consultation strategy.

"We are looking at a range of items, including potential environmental impacts, cultural heritage, and the impacts of project construction and operations."

The inaugural meeting of the CCC is tentatively proposed for March 11, between 5pm-7pm at the Walcha Sports Club.

More information about the project can be found online at the Winterbourne Wind Farm website.