Far North Solar Farm Ltd has removed part of its land application after discovering indigenous vegetation clearance issues during a consent hearing.
Speaking at the hearing’s opening session, Mr Chrystal said the clearance of indigenous vegetation (matagouri) had created a compliance issue for the landowner under the Hurunui District Plan.. Lawyer Theresa Le Bas, speaking on behalf of Far North Solar Farm Ltd, confirmed a section of land had been removed from the application due to the removal of matagouri.. ‘‘I only learned of it yesterday,’’ he said.. Ms Kelsey is a spokesperson for Waipara Valley Community
Collective Inc, which opposes the application.. As there were no objections raised, the hearing continued.. The Hurunui District Council received 158 submissions, with 125 opposed to the proposed solar farm.. At its peak, the farm’s 250,000 panels would generate up to 144 megawatts, enough to power an estimated 30,000 homes.. A council staff report noted ‘‘the adverse effects of the application’’ to the landscape and the visual effects are more than minor.. Construction of the
solar farm is expected to take around two years.. The opening day of the consent hearing was set aside for the applicant to present its case, with the hearing set to continue until Friday (May 15).. Monday and Tuesday, May 18 and 19, have been scheduled as additional days if required.. Commissioners had visited the site and planned to make a second visit next week.. ‘‘When we do another site visit, we do them by
ourselves and we are unable to discuss it with anyone else,” Mr Chrystal said.. Once the hearing is completed, the applicant will have a right of reply, either verbally or in writing, he said.. Environment Canterbury granted non-notified resource consents to the project last year, despite a 700-signature petition from local residents calling on it to publicly notify any consent application.. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ
and NZ On Air.
solar farm, Hurunui, renewable energy, Far North Solar Farm, land use, environmental compliance, Waipara Valley