The State Government is set to release new planning guidelines for solar farms, following farmer concerns over the loss of prime agricultural and irrigation land.
A spokesman for Planning Minister Richard Wynne said the guidelines would be released, along with recommendations from an independent planning panel, on the future of four proposed solar farms in the Shepparton area.
The panel was set up after Planning Minister Richard Wynne “called in” applications for solar farms planned for Congupna, Lemnos, Tallygaroopna and Tatura East.
“We're developing clear guidelines for the assessment of solar farm applications in Victoria -- to give locals certainty and support jobs,” the spokesman said.
The findings, which took into account planning regulations in other states, would go towards setting up solar farm planning guidelines for Victoria.
A spokesman for Mr Wynne said the panel’s report was expected to be released next month.
The panel was appointed to examine the solar farms after the Greater Shepparton City council received about 100 objections to the planned projects.
At the Victorian Farmers Federation conference, held in Ballarat recently, delegates supported a motion to call on the government to exclude the development of solar farms on land with a water use licence.
VFF president David Jochinke has previously said while the farmer group’s main concern was the loss of irrigated land, solar farms also had an impact on valuable grazing country.
Solar farm developments didn’t have the same level of scrutiny as other renewable energy projects.
Lockington dairy farmer, Paul Weller, told the conference there was a lot of land in northern Victoria which didn’t have a water licence.
“Governments have invested $2 billion in upgrading the irrigation system, through Connections, so why do all that work and then cover the land with solar farms?,” Mr Weller said.
“I am not against solar farms but there are places they can be built where they are not going to conflict with irrigation capability.”
Tallygaroopna dairy farmer, Natalie Akers, was one of the objectors to a solar farm, planned for her area.
“The failure to have a Victorian strategy and guidelines sees a scattergun approach to their installation,” Ms Akers said.
She said she had recently had a positive meeting with Mr Wynne.
