YASS Valley Council will on Wednesday night debate the principle of siting industrial wind turbines in its patch.
Councillor Geoff Frost is pushing for the council to oppose in principle the siting of new wind turbines in the Yass Valley.
If the motion gets up on Wednesday night (May 23) the council will be a pioneer among local government bodies taking a stance against the industry, an industry is fast gaining ground across the nation.
Other councils have taken positions against particular projects, for specific reasons, be it inadequate consultation or clear-cut injurious effects to landholders and property prices.
Cr Frost said it was time the council had a position on wind turbines, previously decisions about the projects had been left to the state government.
If his motion is successful, that position would read something like this: “We are not the determining authority, but we are against them, we don’t want new industrial wind turbines in our area of responsibility.”
He said the Yass Valley Council’s planning abilities for the region were being compromised by the presence of huge turbines on ridge tops in its area.
They are on our borders now, the enemy is at the gate.
- Cr Geoff Frost
“We are close to Canberra and it’s a bloody nice place to live, but if we have turbines and people are seeking a rural existence and they have a choice, they’re going to choose a place without turbines,” said Cr Frost.
“These things are 200 metres tall, they are monstrosities on top of all the ridges.
“There are more negatives than positives (for the regions in which they are built).
“They are on our borders now, the enemy is at the gate.”
He said property values in the Yass Valley Council area were depressed and farmers were experiencing difficulty borrowing money because their property values were being eroded by the presence of the turbines.
“We need to have a position, these things dominate the landscape,” he said.
