At the most recent Hilltops Council Ordinary Meeting for November, Councillors voted to approve the Coppabella Wind Farm Voluntary Planning Agreement terms.
At the meeting Council resolved to place the Planning Agreement based on the terms as outlined in the draft Voluntary Planning Agreement on public exhibition in accordance with the requirements in Clause 204 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2021 and if no submissions are received during the exhibition period, authorise the General Manager to execute the Planning Agreement on behalf of Council.
Coppabella Wind Farm PTY LTD is part of Goldwin Australia and is developing the Coppabella Windfarm near Boorowa.
The Wind Farm has been approved to construct and operate a facility of up to 75 wind turbines and associated infrastructure between the Hilltops and Yass Shire Council, with 65 of the turbines estimated to be built within the Hilltops LGA.
According to the report presented to Council the development was approved as a State Significant Development back in 2016 and the key terms of a Planning Agreement (including the contribution per turbine and how CPI is applied) were set by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure in the consent.
"The Monetary Contribution was set at $2,500 per annum per installed turbine, which is payable from when the Wind Farm is operative," the report read.
"The consent also set how and when the Monetary Contribution is reviewed - being paid from when the Wind Farm is operational with annual CPI adjustments from this point."
The report went on to explain that the consent was modified in 2018 with Council using the opportunity to advocate for an increased contribution to the Community Enhancement Fund given that CPI adjustments start once the Wind Farm is operation and not when the value of the Monetary Contribution in 2016.
"By way of comparison, 65 turbines in Hilltops LGA would generate $162,000 per annum at $2,500 per turbine and $200,312 per annum at $3,081 per turbine (adjusted to the end of 2023)," the report read.
"Coppabella Wind Farm Pty Ltd responded to Council's submission by creating a separate community investment fund of an additional $100,000 per annum (with annual CPI adjustments).
"This is applied across both Hilltops and Yass and sits outside of this draft Planning Agreement."
A previous draft Planning Agreement had been negotiated back in 2022, but it did not progress to being presented to Council for consideration.
"Earlier this year, Goldwind Australia resumed negotiations on a Planning Agreement as construction of the windfarm cannot start until a Planning Agreement has been entered into," the report said.
"Officers asked Goldwind Australia to reconsider when CPI adjustments are calculated.
"However, they are unwilling to move away from the contribution amount for CPI adjustment mechanisms that were established in the consent."
The draft Planning Agreement that is on public exhibition solidifies the Monetary Contribution amount and mechanisms that were established in the consent.
In Council at the ordinary meeting the motion was moved by Cr Neil Langford and Cr Mary Dodd and was voted for by Cr Blackwell, Cr Davis, Cr Dodd, Cr Foreman, Cr Gallo, Cr Ingram, Cr Langford, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller, while Cr Tony Flanery voted against the motion.