MEMBERS of the Colbinabbin community, including winegrowers and farmers, attended Victorian Parliament last week to continue their fight against a proposed solar energy facility near Colbinabbin.
Liberal and Nationals MPs supported their fight by calling on government ministers to oppose the application to build the solar facility.
Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell, led the barrage of opposition speeches, asking the Minister for Planning to deny a permit to build the Cooba Solar Project in its proposed location, because it contravenes planning guidelines that are intended to protect agricultural land.
The proposed solar farm will carpet 665 hectares of prime agricultural land in the Heathcote wine region with over 700,000 solar panels and over 100 batteries the size of shipping containers.
The size and location of the proposal goes against the Victorian Government’s own Solar Energy Facilities Design and Development Guideline 2022, which states that a “solar energy facility should not lead to… the loss of productive, state-significant agricultural land.”
The proposal also goes against Clause 53.13 of the Campaspe Planning Scheme, which governs renewable energy proposals and requires them to consider the impact of the project on “significant views, including visual corridors and sightlines.”
The Cooba Solar Project will put 700,000 solar panels that are up to 8m high in the sight lights of local wineries. The vineyards and cellar doors on the elevated eastern side of the Mt Camel Range are 80-120m above the proposed sight, and no amount of landscape screening will reduce the negative visual impact of the solar facility.
Ms Lovell said, “The Minister for Planning must deny the application for a permit to build this solar farm because it contravenes Victoria’s core planning principles.
“If the Allan Labor Government approves this giant solar farm, it will take prime agricultural land out of production, and it will spoil forever the beauty of the views from the Mt Camel Range that are vital for attracting tourists to the wine region.”
Ms Lovell was followed by Gaelle Broad, Member for Northern Victoria Region, who stressed the agricultural value of the site, and asked the Minister for Agriculture to ensure that agricultural values are protected.
Richard Welch, Member for North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, asked the Minister for Tourism to meet with the Colbinabbin Renewable Action Group to discuss their concerns over the tourism and economic impact of the Cooba Solar Project.
David Davis, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources, asked the Minister for Energy and Resources to ensure that the proposal adheres to planning guidelines governing the installation of energy utilities.
Joe McCracken, Member for Western Victoria Region, highlighted concerns over the increased fire risk presented by battery energy storage systems and asked the Minister for Emergency Services to ensure that more consultation occurs with CFA volunteers and emergency services personnel over decisions relating to solar and battery farm projects.
Finally, Bev McArthur, Shadow Minister for Local Government, raised concerns over the bypassing of local councils in decisions about renewable energy projects, and asked the Minister for Local Government to give local councils and communities a voice in these matters, which affect them so seriously.
