Forest Glen Solar Farm

We are the neighbouring property on the western fence line. The proposed solar farm is 340m from our home. In the proposal, the consultants refer to the vegetation which provides a barrier so we can't see. The main vegetation referred to is a dead tree. We have a direct line of sight from our kitchen window, bathroom window and bedroom window, directly into the paddock where the panels are proposed to be erected. The proposal does not specify the height of the panels, nor the angle at which they are to sit. The consultant says this detail will not be finalised until the project commences. We do not approve of this proposal, and we definitely would never agree to this proposal when we aren't given any specific details. The panels are all facing north. Our home is to the north west of the proposed sight. We are going to get every bit of glare off those panels, directly into our home, into our kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

In the future, we wish to develop our property. Having a solar farm within 340m of our home will severely hinder our plans to subdivide and develop. The solar farm will lower the value of our land. No one will want to buy a block of land that looks directly onto a solar farm. The consultant also refers to the current infrastructure which blocks the view of the house to the proposed solar farm. The infrastructure they are referring to is an old pig house. There is no saying that we will not demolish that building in the future.

The consultant spoke at length about the extensive consultation which occurred prior to the application being submitted to DPIE, consultation with all neighbouring properties, and not one objection was raised. We WERE NOT consulted. Had we been consulted, we certainly would have raised an objection at that stage as there is no way we would have agreed to having a solar farm erected in the paddock next door. We did not have anyone come to our property to discuss this proposal. This project has been in the pipeline for a good 18 months, yet not once has the land owner mentioned their intentions to us. Nor have we had any consultation from the consultant. For the land owner to not say anything to us, the neighbours of more than 17 years, that suggests to me that they knew we would not agree to this. They knew that it was not in our best interests. The consultant has fabricated the consultation section of their proposal. That begs the question as to what other information they have put in their proposal that is misleading, false, or a lie.

No consideration has been given to us with this proposal. This proposal is not in our best interests. It is going to devalue our property's land value. It is going to limit us to what we can do with this property in the future. It will limit sales of land because of the eyesore of the solar farm develop to the eastern side. We are going to have an inordinate amount of glare and refraction from the panels, directly facing our home. The vegetation in question is a dead tree. The infrastructure referenced is a pig house. Our home is 340m from the site. We are going to have the noise, dust, privacy issues, during the construction phase of the project. There will be lights on the sight which will be on during the night which will shine directly into our home. Allegedly these lights will be on a sensor once the project is complete, those lights will still shine directly in the direction of our home. We will have increased numbers of staff from Essential Energy (EE) accessing our property to inspect/view/access the panels as we have a common gate between the two properties which EE access. We already have them come onto our property a lot, to trim the trees under the power lines and to perform maintenance. This proposed solar farm is going to impact our lives greatly.

The consultant made no mention of the dam to the north of the site, which, when at capacity, spills over and floods the northern corner of the paddock, flowing into our paddock. There is a huge amount of water which overflows from that dam. The area floods.

I have attached pictures for actual reference of location. I was standing in the middle of the paddock between our home and the proposed solar farm site. I took the first picture facing our home (8). I turned 180deg and took the second picture facing straight into the proposed sight (9). As you can clearly see, you can see all the windows in our home, and you can clearly see the dead tree (1 & 2), which the consultants conveniently based all of their vegetation story on.

We strongly object to this proposed solar farm going ahead.

we are a neighbouring landholder and regular travellers of Minore Road

the increase of traffic along Minore Road is of concern to us. Not only for the noise, the safety of fellow road users and for ability for Minore Road to cope with such increased traffic.

• I note the traffic surveys done in the application were completed in 2016 - as a long term resident of Minore Road I know first hand the increase of traffic since 2016. The increase of b double and single trucks has increased enormously particularly in the last 2 years. Residential traffic has increased. Minore Road is also used as a short cut for b doubles from Mitchell Hwy, North Minore Road onto Minore road then via Dungary Road, Lonsdale road, Sappa Bulga and the South onto the Parkes HWY.

• an increase of an additional 157 vehicle movements per day with 72 during the peak hour be of a major safety issue to the regular users of Minore Road. 24 additional b double movements along that road will of course also be a major noise disturbance to the residents along Minore Road - the use of air brakes and changing of gears for slowing down and increasing of speed as approach and depart to the Delroy Road Minore Road intersection.
• Our home is particularly close to the intersection of Delroy and Minore Roads and we are concerned with traffic noise during the construction period and how it will affect the lifestyle that we have chosen.
• Minore Rd is a patched up rural road with no significant upgrade taken place for a considerably long time - we occasionally have the pot hole repair tar crew come out and patch holes up – There is a lack of edge line marking, the road shoulder is dropped away in most places, there are also significant culverts unmarked along Minore Rd which would be an extreme safety hazard for any vehicle required to make way for an on coming b double if needed. Loose stones along the road should also are a hazard for oncoming vehicles if required to move over to make way for oncoming b double or large vehicles.


"Given the expected traffic along Delroy Road during construction, it is concluded that the surface of the road is suitable to accommodate the future traffic volumes. Further, it is concluded that Minore Road and Delroy Road are suitable to accommodate the traffic generated by the solar farm. "

• I reject that the above statement is true - Minore Road can barely cope with the traffic that currently uses it - without adding a significant increase in volume of traffic as proposed. Minore Road whilst does have a centre line marked in places there is no line edging of the road and the shoulder of the tar is in particular poor health.

• The intersection where the Whylandra Creek crosses the Minore Road and the Delroy Road intersection is of concern as to how that will be affected by a potential road upgrade and that impact may have on water diversion when the creek rises.

• There are a significant amount of overhanging trees along Minore Road which would cause issue for the higher b doubles using the road.

I have attached a recent photo where the Whylandra Creek has risen which stops traffic flow in all directions (the photo was taken from Delroy Road looking towards Dubbo along Minore Road) Please note the depth of this water from the marker being approx .9 meters - depth is not uncommon and has been significantly higher before. West bound traffic tend to ignore the water over road signage (just after Dungary Road intersection) this signage needs to be manually opened up as a warning and hence west bound traffic gets as far as the water line and deem it too unsafe to proceed and then back up. I would suggest that the additional vehicle movements would also find themselves in this situation when the water rises .

Recommendations are
• that Minore Road be widened and road shoulders be upgraded.
• that the entire road is line marked including edge lines.
• to reduce the noise impact and to also increase safety would be to install speed humps leading up to the intersection of Delroy and Minore - between our driveway and east towards Dungary Road.
• Overhanging trees along Minore Road be trimmed accordingly
• Culverts going under Minore Rd be clearly marked and have a safety assement