PHOTO SUPPLIED
THE public has until the end of the month to tell Waitomo District Council what they think about a proposed 11 turbine wind farm in Te Anga.
Consent was granted in 2008 for a wind farm at the site on Taumatatotara West Rd, about 10km south of Tahaaroa, which would have seen 22 turbines built along the coastal ridge.
Independent wind farm developer Ventus Energy began the process a few years ago to vary the conditions of the consent, with the aim of building fewer, but taller, turbines.
Ventus Energy would like to build 11 turbines that are 172.5m tall; the previously consented plan would have seen 22 turbines built to a height of 121.5m.
If approved, the rotor diameter would also increase from 110m to 155m.
A full host of documents have been made public on Waitomo District Council’s (WDC) website, including the original consent, Ventus Energy’s application in July 2020 to alter the terms of its existing consent, and all the associated research the company compiled to inform those applications.
The wind farm proposal has not pleased everyone.
In Ventus’ application to alter the consent, the company acknowledged consent was originally granted in 2006 by Waitomo District Council, but the decision was appealed.
That appeal on the original 22 turbine proposal was withdrawn in 2008.
The new plan for 11 taller turbines attracted protests from a local family concerned about the impacts they thought the turbines could have on their health, lifestyle and property value.
In 2020, Ngā Tai o Kāwhia Regional Management Committee expressed its neutral stance on the proposed wind farm.
An email chain included on WDC’s web page about the consent showed that position was conditional.
The committee wanted to know environmental effects including discharges to air, land and water, and sediment and erosion would be managed in a way that these impacts would be “less than minor.”
The potential for accidental discoveries of wāhi tapu (sacred sites) and archaeological sites was also of concern for the regional management committee, which wanted to know those situations would be managed appropriately.
Ngā Tai o Kāwhia also requested Ventus Energy invite at least two tangata whenua representatives to monitor the construction of the turbines.
But during the council’s evaluation of the application to alter the consent, it was found that Te Hauāuru Regional Management Committee should have been consulted instead.
Te Hauāuru stated in 2021 that it did not support the wind farm.
“After very careful consideration, and robust discussion of the pros and cons we decided collectively and unanimously to refute and categorically object to any idea that a wind farm within reach of our mana whenua Ngaati Mahuta ki te Tai Hauaauru could be advocated for,” the response said.
The core of the objection lay in concerns about cultural and environmental impacts: “dirty footprint, biodiversity of indigenous, the health and wellbeing of lives and environment present and in the future.”
The group did not consider a reduction in the number of turbines a mitigating factor for their concerns.
The RMC, less than 10km from the proposed site, was disappointed not to have been consulted in the consenting process when Ngā Tai o Kāwhia (about 50km away) had been.
Information about the potential impact of the turbines on birds, bats, the visual landscape and noise, and a transportation plan is available on the council’s website.
Submissions about the consent proposal can be made by anyone until 5pm on May 1.
Trade competitors of Ventus Energy can only make a submission to the council if they are directly affected by the proposed wind farm in terms of the environment, but not in relation to trade competition or its effects.
The application can be viewed online at waitomo.govt.nz/resource-consents/publicly-notified-resource-consents or at the Waitomo District Council office.
Submissions can be made by sending a written or electronic copy to the council at 15 Queen St, Te Kūiti or info@waitomo.govt.nz.
A copy of the submission must also be sent to Taumatatotara Wind Farm Limited, c/ Shearer Consulting Ltd, PO Box 60240, Titirangi 0644 or craig@craigshearer.co.nz.
