Bendemeer Solar Farm

I object to the project because
1. It is too close to Bendemeer 1.2 kms away from the main street
2. They will knock all the trees down and kill the wildlife they have said they will shake the wildlife from the trees too get them down
3. Foreign companies are the investors so the money isnt even staying in Australia
4. Visual impact is huge with the neighbours and people driving by having to look at the panels and the glare constantly
5. It is being on the town water supply which will sooner or later be contaminated by the solar farm
6. Our soil is granite which filters water it doesnt hold water so the seepage dams they say they will put in will not hold water which means it will seep into the town water supply
7. Increased traffic on roads that are in poor condition already
8.The community is divided already with neighbours that have been friends for 30 years now hating each other
9. Decrease in property value

This will be a great Finacle benefit to the area creating employment both directly and indirectly.

Its time to make a valuable and significant step forward and towards green energy. This project, amongst others, are heading in the right direction

Please see attachment

I support the project primarily because of the economic benefits it brings to the region that I live and work in, and because of the diligence applied in community consultation and undertaking the necessary studies and planning.

Well planned development of renewables and storage such as Bendemeer Solar Farm is critical to the future of reliable and sustainable electricity supply, to the significant benefit of the much broader community. More locally, the opportunities for employment and career development, including high skill employment, is vitally important. I have seen and continue to see growth in a diverse range of business opportunities arising from renewables development in this area, from ecologists, to electricians, security, transport, hospitality, waste management and many more - they are all prospering. A pipleline of projects being developed in the region including Bendemeer add confidence and sustainability for the region.

The project itself appears to be carefully designed to manage impacts at an appropriate site and include suitable measures for continuing to mitigate impacts through the project life.

Too close to town
Solar radiation damage
Clearing of animal habitat
Loss of land value
Contamination of MacDonald river

I support the industry in all ways

We are in dire need to utilise solar energy to sustain requirements of the growing population of this earth. Earth’s resources are being depleted and often times wasted. Solar energy should be a more cost effective way to move forward.

There is also the contamination issue from leachiing of toxic chemicals from the panels to consider. This particular development is only 1 km from Bendemeer village, is beside the Macdonald River and on hills which are within the catchment of the village water supply.

This is a renewable energy project that will benefit Australia's push to achieve greenhouse gas emission targets.
It is critical that this project is given the green light as there is only a small amount of sites in NSW that lend themselves to such a development.

If this proposal was rejected it would be an opportunity lost for the greater good of the people of NSW.

The cessation of coal fired generation in the coming years in NSW, makes it imperative that projects such as the Bendemeer one are green-lighted as a matter of urgency.
The timelines involved in such developments are too great, and NSW faces the real prospect of energy shortages unless we get moving.

Locally, the benefit to the economy of a small rural community will be significant both during the build phase and the longer maintenance phase. This has been demonstrated in both the Glen Severn and Inverell LGA's where wind farm developments have had a huge impact.

If the New England is promoting itself as a renewable energy hub, it would seem incongruous not to allow this development to go ahead.

its about time the government got behind these projects and cut out alot of the red tap. we need clean energy now not 20 years time .there will always be people apposed to any project but dont let a few stop progress on what will be a good thing when power stations are closing they will be the first to complain when they have no power and they wont care where it comes from because it affects them directly

I am so in favour for this this project to go ahead, it's the way to go for a renewable & clean source of energy for our area. The solar farm will produce much needed energy and will have fewer effects on the environment than many other energy sources. It will not release emissions that can pollute the air or water and will not require water for cooling. It will bring much valuable income into our district for farmers and the wider community for years to come.

21/08/2023

Between the clearing of trees and levelling of ground, it will tip the balance of our endangered, birds, animals and all other species, both water, land and air. If we farmers tried to do even a small part of what is planned, we’d be locked up or fined out of existence. Having seen the Solar farm between Uralla and Armidale the black glare is very off putting and distracting when travelling along the highway and you wish to in flick that on Bendemeer along with all those Wind Towers which are taller than what has been installed overseas.
Our area is a place of learning, a place people come to get away from the rat race of city and urban living, where the mind and sole can heal and relax. This area also has many days in the year when we have heavy frost, mist and fog, grey rainy days for long periods. We have exceptional thunder and lightning storms and this particular problem plays havoc with any computerised appliances, tv’s, stoves, fridges, communication etc and it want go well for the systems there putting in.
A further major problem is operating farm machinery, firefighting planes and other machinery etc under all lines, towers etc. back burning under and around the lot. We as a country are late coming to Wind and Solar, overseas have been there and found it unsatisfactory for running a country and manufacturing, the mess that has been left through their landscape we don’t want hear either.
What did the New England and the whole of the Eastern Coast do to have this mess inflicted on them and our state Government think they have the right to do it. Christopher J Minns MP, I don’t care how much money has been spent by overseas groups, you can pull out or put on hold till this can be reassessed. Australians as a people, our way of life, our children’s future, our manufacturing and the shear cost to our nation on a white Elephant that want do what is needed but will decimate our beautiful country, this is just not on. Find a different path with a different outcome, we want a future and this isn’t it.

I support the Bendemeer Solar project as I believe that the project will bring significant benefit to Bendemeer and the surrounding communities.
The only significant jobs in the community at the moment are with the Hotel and the sawmill.
The Community fund will assist groups i.e. the pre school, school, sporting groups and community groups.
The Solar project will have a limited view to the local community and neighbours due to the native vegetation already bordering the project.
The Solar project will allow grazing of sheep to continue under the panel once constructed with no reduction in productivity if not proven to be an increase and the solar panels can be removed at the end of time allowing the land to be returned to the original state in a short time not like a mine or gas project.
Misinformation re: opposing group produced maps widely distributed by mail of the panels in close proximity to the river which is totally incorrect and making statements the runoff from the panels will poison the river and kill fish and platypus is not without its believers of the fiction not fact.

I support the project as I believe we as a nation need to transition to renewables.
I believe it can bring significant economic and social benefit to Bendemeer and the broader Tamworth Community. Given that Bendemeer has limited job opportunities and is generally a lower socioeconomic community so the benefits that the community fund could bring to enhance the amenities of the village and provide support to local organisations like the Preschool, River Care and sporting clubs would be significant.
The Solar farm is only on one property and the design of the project has little visual impact on the village and as well the design layout allows for the grazing of sheep which does not according to CSIRO and other research in Australia reduce the carrying capacity of the land and can be returned to its original state at end of life unlike coal and gas projects.
There is already significant native vegetation that provides visual shielding of the panels.
The income produced to the landholder could be used for weed and feral animal control as well as employment of a full time farm hand or contractors for environmental improvements.
While this proposal has caused some division in the community significant misinformation has been promulgated by people opposed to the project sighting examples of 1/2 million animals are going to die every year and 80 million insects will die or the panels will poison the river. This information should not be allowed to influence the validity of the facts as presented in the EIS.

21/08/2023

I’m writing to put in an objection to your proposed Solar Farm that will be put within 1Km of the picturesque village of Bendemeer, which the MacDonald River runs through. This is also our source of drinking water. Why is 10 km the norm for Cities but not Towns or Villagers, if 10 kms is safe for one it should be the same for the other two. Bendemeer will be completely circled with Solar Farm, wind towers, Batteries, High Voltage trans lines spreading like a cancer across our homes, businesses, our agricultural businesses, parks and playing fields. No matter where we look that’s all we’ll see.
The Bendemeer Hub is being put in by a Singapore Group, will produce nothing for Australians re work or goods used. I asked if they were putting in Chinese panels and was told depend on what is available at the time. So much for quality control and if component’s come from China, is it possible they can turn the system off when it suits them. The answers to what will be in place for the clean-up when the hubs components have to be replaced and are all highly toxic and costly to do. The cost supposedly to decommission a wind tower is $650,000 per tower, but $150,000 per tower only is being put into a fund which may or may not be there when needed. Who will have to cover the cost, the land owner, the Australian people. Where are you planning to put the toxic waste materials, in our back yard as you have planned to put transmission lines on and over property you don’t own. We have been threatened to have our land taken with no consultation, or adequate reimbursement. Nothing can replace what we currently have. When did we become a Communist country.
The current power lines run 300+ KVA through them, the new lines run 500 KVA. I was told if you hold a fluorescent tube under what was the 300+ KVA lines it would light up and I did and it did. What will the 500KVA do to people, animals, plants and microbial organisms in the soil.
How would you like this mess over your home, your town, an eye saw, health risk, devaluation of your property that you have worked hard and long for, no handouts or freebies hear.
It’s not in your patch, I don’t want it in my patch.

I support this project because renewal energy are so important and a good opportunity for New England region.

I object to all major solar projects as they disrupt the ability for neighbouring farms to carry out normal farm activities such as fire mitigation and preparation of paddocks with fire. They also create significant financial impact on farms through significant increases to insurance premiums. I will not agree to this project

I would like to object to this project on the grounds of mental health an well-being in the community. In my experience of renewable projects, the project managers do not use any evidence based measures to identify well-being and project effects on well-being in the research stages prior to project. This project is not exempt form this. What I would like:
* The project managers to engage an external mental health professional to conduct measures withing the community prior to the approval of this project.
* This project must demonstrate that it will not significantly impact the well-being of community though approved measures and evidence based practices.
* For the project to fully consider other flow on social and mental health affects such as decrease in social connectedness, increase in anxiety and depression, as well as potential for suicide. The project should not be approved without considering these affects.

Hi,

Im in support of this project , it creates jobs for local businesses like mine and helps me keep employees . Projects like these help local economy going which is needed in small communities.