By Maddison Howell
Building on The Shepparton Adviser’s coverage last week of concerns surrounding the proposed Grahamvale battery project, Greater Shepparton Mayor Geoff Akers has called for an alternative site following further discussion at this week’s council meeting.
Mayor Akers said council’s objection to the proposed $500 million battery energy storage system was informed by an independent report which supported concerns about the suitability of the location.
“We initiated an independent report which identified those issues and said there was appropriate concerns with where it is located and the issues that were raised, so we’ve made our objection to the minister based on that report,” he said.
While council supports renewable energy infrastructure across Greater Shepparton, Mayor Akers said the proposed site raised concerns beyond its use of productive agricultural land.
Its proximity to an irrigation channel, existing homes and nearby schools, along with potential noise from the batteries, were among the issues council wanted addressed.
Mayor Akers also questioned whether the site was appropriate for long-term development, suggesting the surrounding area could eventually be used for housing.
“Long-term, into the future, we would have thought that most of that area through there would finish up in house,” he said.
The mayor said the process had also highlighted council’s limited influence over certain State Government planning decisions, expressing disappointment that projects could progress without local government being consulted.
“It disappoints us as a council that state government continue to implement some projects by bypassing local government planning,” he said.
Mayor Akers said council was not opposed to the project’s purpose, but wanted its proponents to consider another location within the municipality.
“We’d like them to come back to us with an alternative location in Greater Shepparton, we understand the importance of energy to Greater Shepparton,” he said.
The proposal has also prompted concerns from All Saints Anglican School about potential safety risks and the impact on nearby families and students, adding to community scrutiny of the development.
