Council and community have united in deep concern over several large-scale solar and battery storage system proposals that threaten high-quality agricultural land across Baw Baw Shire.
There are two proposals for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects in Baw Baw Shire currently being assessed by the Victorian Government, one in Shady Creek and another at Yarragon North. Neither of these locations sit within the Victorian Government's proposed Gippsland Renewable Energy Zone.
In addition to the proposals under assessment, State renewable energy mapping indicates that there is an approved (not operational) BESS located at Longwarry, and an approved solar farm located at Trafalgar.
According to current planning structures, permit applications for renewable energy proposals with significant economic benefit can bypass local Council planning frameworks and be made directly to the Minister for Planning, effectively removing local voices from the process.
At last week's Council meeting, East Ward Cr Brendan Kingwill raised a Notice of Motion (NoM) to make Council's concerns clear to the Victorian Government, and to seek further information on any local solar and battery proposals.
As part of the NoM, a letter has been issued to the Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny MP by Mayor Cr Danny Goss on behalf of Council and local farming communities who feel blindsided by these proposals.
The Mayor said that while Council supports steps to transition to renewable energy, there are concerns over poor siting of such proposals that appear to threaten rich farmland that has long supported Victoria's food and fibre production.
"Many local farming communities feel blindsided by the sudden appearance of industrial-scale proposals on land that has supported generations of essential food production. People are asking reasonable questions about how these facilities will affect their livelihoods, their safety, and the amenity of their rural communities — but answers have been slow to come, if at all", said the Mayor.
"Our communities have a right to serious concerns about the long-term implications for the land and water they depend on. These concerns include potential contamination of soil and groundwater from battery chemicals, constant operational lighting and noise, threat to regional character, and most importantly diminishing some of Victoria's most high-quality productive food and fibre producing farmland."
East Ward Councillor Brendan Kingwill said the Baw Baw Shire community is simply seeking a fair, honest and transparent approach from the Victorian Government for all local renewable proposals", said Cr Kingwill.
"We have met with several generational farming families who have dedicated their lives to the production of quality food for our state and beyond. Cutting these people out of the conversation is simply wrong.
"Moving forward we welcome more information and invite appropriate face to face consultation with our local farming communities who deserve to be in the know."
In addition to correspondence with the Victorian Government, Council also intends to write to operators Samsung and Zen expressing opposition to proposed BESS locations, and believes that many areas of the Shire such as Shady Creek, Darnum and Yarragon are inappropriate locations.
Image: Local farmers Graham Pigdon, Kylie Mumford, Wayne Mumford and James Faithful meet with East Ward Councillor Brendan Kingwill to discuss concerns for local BESS proposals.
