Construction and operation of a wind farm with up to 64 turbines, a 100 MW battery energy storage system, a 330 kilovolt transmission line and other associated ancillary infrastructure
The community will be able to have their say in a public meeting on a proposal by Hills of Gold Wind Farm Pty Ltd for a wind farm and associated infrastructure. The proposed project comprises up to 64 wind turbines, battery storage and grid connection and is located 50km south-east of Tamworth and 8km south of Nundle.
The decision on whether the Hills of Gold Wind Farm State Significant Development application (SSD 9679) will be given planning approval has been referred to the Independent Planning Commission because the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure received an objection from Tamworth Regional Council and at least 50 unique submissions objecting to the proposal.
Commissioners Clare Sykes (Chair), Juliet Grant and Duncan Marshall have been appointed to determine the development application.
The Commission will hold a public meeting on Thursday 1 February and Friday 2 February 2024 (10:00 AM AEDT starts) to hear the community’s views, with an additional day to be scheduled if required. Speakers can attend in person at the Nundle Memorial Hall (101 Jenkins Street, Nundle) or via video link by attending the Commission’s drop-in studio in person at the Tamworth War Memorial Town Hall (26-28 Fitzroy Street, Tamworth), making the meeting locally accessible for people in both locations. The public meeting will be livestreamed on the Commission’s website and broadcast at the Tamworth venue. Speakers can also join via telephone or online video link from their homes or elsewhere. The format of any additional day will depend on demand and is to be confirmed.
The Commission is also inviting written submissions from the public. The Commission already has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure on the Hills of Gold Wind Farm. It is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to hear the community’s views in response to the Department’s recent whole-of-government Assessment Report on the key issues and its recommended conditions of consent. Key issues identified in the Department’s Assessment Report include visual impacts, traffic and transport, and biodiversity impacts. These documents are available on the Commission’s website.
Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission’s website using the Speaker Registration Form.
The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00pm AEDT on Tuesday 23 January 2024.
Written submissions can be lodged via the ‘Make a Submission’ portal on the Commission’s website: https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/make-a-submission. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday 12 February 2024.
The Public Meeting will be broadcast live online at https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/livestream
Please note
Registered speakers for the public meeting will be asked to indicate a preference for presenting to the Commission Panel either in-person at the Nundle venue, via video link from the Tamworth venue, or virtually from elsewhere (i.e. via video link or telephone).
If demand for speaker timeslots is high and the two-day meeting becomes fully booked, the Commission will endeavour to schedule a third day on a date and format to be confirmed. The whole public meeting will be livestreamed on the Commission’s website and YouTube channel.
If any change to the meeting format occurs, this will be fully communicated to all registered speakers in advance, including how the Commission can assist people to attend the meeting virtually. Please read the Speaker Registration Form carefully, and provide as much detail as possible.
These flexible arrangements ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to be heard, while also making best use of public resources.
We recognise the importance of community participation in our decision-making process. Using our ‘Make a submission’ form is the easiest way for you to make a submission on cases currently before the Commission.