Central Otago's vast
landscape would retain its rural character despite the
construction of a 176-turbine wind farm on the Lammermoor
Range, an Environment Court appeal hearing was told
yesterday.
Meridian Energy's second witness, landscape architect Peter
Rough, of Christchurch, said although Project Hayes turbines
would be visible from parts of Central Otago, the plains and
mountain ranges of the area would continue to dominate the
landscape.
Mr Rough said other wind farms constructed overseas comprised
dense clusters of turbines and had changed the nature of
landscapes to those of an industrial character.
"I am not seeing an industrial landscape when I look at
computer images of the proposed [Project Hayes] wind farm.
The rural character is still the predominant character of
that landscape," he said.
Project Hayes would be the largest wind farm in the southern
hemisphere and one of the five biggest in the world.
It comprised 92sq km of Central Otago freehold farming land
15km west of Middlemarch.
When questioned by appellant lawyer Neville Marquet, of
Dunedin, Mr Rough said the Lammermoor Range was not an
outstanding landscape, in contrast to the adjoining Te
Papanui Conservation Park and Rock and Pillar Range
properties.
Mr Rough's evidence was the only evidence heard in
yesterday's hearing.
The last two weeks of the appeal hearing over the wind farm,
starting August 18, will be held in Dunedin.
Judge Jon Jackson said the change was appropriate because the
city was closer to the site "as the crow flies".
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