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www.wangarattachronicle.com.au
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
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ON THE HUNT IT’S time to get into the Easter spirit with (from left) Bernie Sharp, Peter Joyce, Olivia Joyce (9), Adam Torpey, Harrison Joyce (3), Tahnisha Seng, Sally Wohlers and Bree McClen ahead of the upcoming family day. Story page 2. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Solar upsize aim PROPONENTS behind a solar farm at North Wangaratta are looking to upsize, increasing the facility from a 33MW capacity to 40MW. A planning permit for a renewable energy facility was granted by Wangaratta council in 2016 and since then Clean Peak Energy has purchased an adjacent 17.5 hectare parcel of industrial land at 109 WangarattaEldorado Road, North Wangaratta.
solar ‘arrays’ into the Clean Cl nP Peak k En Energy rgy b buys y 17.5h 17.5ha tto lift capacity p ity tto 40MW the northern half of the new
BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au
Close to the corner of Bowser Road and Coleman Road is the North Wangaratta Family Motel - a small commercial motel that previously objected to the expansion of the solar facility.
To the south of the site over WangarattaEldorado Road is the North Wangaratta Industrial Precinct and immediately to the northwest of the site is the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail. As part of the proposed expansion of the facility, a review of the existing native vegetation to be retained and removed across the whole site has been undertaken.
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A native vegetation report has been prepared by a qualified consultant outlining a holistic approach to addressing the remnant native vegetation, with the aim of maximising both the biodiversity values and the layout of solar arrays across the site. The amendment states that the new parcel of land is “largely devoid of remnant vegetation” and
several native trees along the boundary will be retained to offset the removal of others. However, to create “greater efficiencies and generation capacity” across the whole site, the report proposes the removal of an additional 19 scattered remnant native trees, on top of the 14 (plus one dead tree) already approved. The plan shows the proposed expansion of
parcel of land. Solar arrays are located in blocks with orientation to maximise solar exposure and space between them for maintenance and emergency vehicles to traverse the site. A continuation of the perimeter firebreak and access track is proposed along the western boundary of the new parcel where it abuts 210 Bourke Road. ■ Continued page 2
IN G EC OW PA 5 1 , MHO A O N K U R ES , EC ST OA D R ES 3 1 TY H P 7 1 & ES . EN R C R U G R E AT5 2 TY V EN TU
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