Submitters on the Mt Stuart wind farm proposal raised
concerns about the project at a meeting on Saturday.
Central Otago company Pioneer Generation bought the Mt Stuart
project, near Milton, from original developer NZ Windfarms
Ltd earlier this year.
Pioneer Generation chief executive Peter Dowling said
yesterday the meeting had been positive, with the company
outlining its aims and submitters and residents giving their
views.
It had been the first opportunity for the company to meet and
discuss the project with submitters and residents, Mr Dowling
said.
NZ Windfarms put the project on hold in February to consider
submissions after all but one of the 15 submitters objected
to the project.
Mr Dowling said Pioneer planned to spend the next month
consulting submitters with a view to taking the project off
hold in late September.
He hoped a consent hearing could be held before Christmas.
Ritchie McCorkindale, a Waitahuna sheep farmer who is
objecting, said the hour-long meeting had been constructive,
providing a chance to meet Pioneer Generation officials in
person, and for submitters to outline their concerns.
He remained concerned about the "visual pollution" which
would result from the proposed wind turbines, which would be
up to 75m high, and the potential effect on property values.
He also believed that growing numbers of wind farms could
damage New Zealand's "clean green" natural image with
tourists.
The gathering was held in a tent on top of Mt Stuart.
The site is on the southwestern side of the Manuka Gorge
about 15km inland from Milton and the project involves nine
turbines generating between 5.5MW and 6.5MW.
john.gibb@odt.co.nz
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