Communities divided by plan

It was always going to be one of the biggest things to hit Otago, whether you were for Project Hayes or against it.

So it was no surprise it took two hearings to reach a decision on whether Meridian Energy could build its $2 billion wind farm on the Lammermoor Range.

• Victory for the 'small guys' [1]

Two thousand pages of evidence were presented at the first hearing in Alexandra, held over 20 days from May to July 2007, with approval announced on October 31, 2007.

But those opposed to the 176-turbine proposal appealed, saying they wanted a second shot at protecting precious Central Otago hinterland.

With the approval came a new twist: panel chairman John Matthews, a Queenstown barrister, disagreed with his fellow commissioners and said consent should have been denied - that the proposed 92km wind farm site was, despite many submissions to the contrary, an outstanding natural landscape that should be protected.

A divide had emerged at the hearing among those closest to the proposed wind farm, with two distinct camps emerging between Paerau valley farmers.

Those on the east side, who would be compensated for having turbines on their land, talked about the professionalism of Meridian and usually sat near the company table.

Those on the west side of the valley usually sat near the back of the public gallery, and claimed Meridian had misled them and been disrespectful.

Styx farmer Susan Elliot was among those strongly in favour, saying the approval was a "common-sense approach", her comments echoing numerous others who said the Lammermoor Range was an already modified, working landscape that would be made more productive by the wind farm and did not warrant protection.

In his closing address, counsel for Meridian Energy, Andrew Beatson, said some "extravagant and unsupportable claims" had been made by those opposing Project Hayes.

The wind farm would ensure "we, and those who come after us, have a safe and healthy future".

That future now looks like it will be free of wind turbines, at least on the Lammermoors.

• Pam Jones covered the original resource consent hearings for the ODT.