Gunning Solar Farm News
Our EIS is on Public Exhibition
Submissions close 12 Dec 2023
Gunning Subco (owned by Canadian Solar) submitted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Gunning Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) in August 2023 for adequacy review, following which the EIS was updated and accepted by DPE. The EIS was officially lodged on 7 November 2023 and became available on the Major Projects website: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/gunning-solar-farm-0)
The EIS is on public exhibition during November and December 2023, where it will be available on the DPE website for the community to read and make submissions. Notification letters were sent to the surrounding community and relevant State Agencies by DPE with instructions on how to comment, support or oppose the project. Following the exhibition period, we will be preparing a response to submissions report for the DPE.
Community drop-in sessions: EIS and community benefits scheme
Held in Gunning on 12 and 13 October 2023
The Gunning Subco planning and development team hosted community drop-in consultation sessions in October 2023 to provide information about the project and the environmental assessment, and answer questions and respond to concerns directly. Upper Lachlan Shire Council were also invited to join us the sessions, to understand views around community and neighbourhood benefits sharing. Gunning Subco collated ideas and feedback, to help shape the outcomes of this project, for the benefit of the host community.
A report summarising the feedback during the drop in-sessions and in completed feedback forms was prepared. Key data includes:
- Almost all attendees reside within 5km (near neighbours)
- Farming is the primary value of the area (95%), followed by views and community (>70%)
- Key concerns are visual impacts, fire risk, construction impacts/nuisance, pest/weed control and land values
- Clear support for road upgrades proposed
- Majority support neighbourhood benefit payments but would like the amounts to be increased
- Strong desire from the local community to have benefits directed towards the nearest neighbours to offset impacts
- General concern over how Council will implement and spend the CBF; community would prefer direct payments to neighbours or clear local projects nominated so that the investment is local and benefits the impacted community
A copy of the banners on display during the event are included below:
Update letter for the Community 2023
An update on the Gunning Solar Farm
An updated community engagement letter was sent out in June 2023. The letter outlines the current updates to the project that have arisen from feedback from the community:
Feedback from the Community Drop-in Session 2022
An update on the Gunning Solar Farm
A community drop-in session was held at the Gunning Shire Hall on Wednesday the 7th September 2022.
Below are the printed materials that were provided at the drop in session:
A summary of the feedback received at both the morning and afternoon community drop in sessions is outlined in the below table:
| Category | Sub-category | Theme | Count |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | How any environmental impacts will be managed or reduced | 9 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Route for bringing in panels and equipment to the solar farm | 9 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Bush fire risks, reduction plans and RFS input | 5 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Concern about decreasing land values | 2 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Contamination of waterways | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Desire to understand if solar farm infrastructure will be safe from flooding | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Desire to understand if solar farm infrastructure will be safe from subsidence | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Construction and operation impacts | Desire to understand if solar farm infrastructure will impact the radio (FM) frequencies | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Truck movements on Lade Vale Road | 4 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Current condition of the roads are unsafe | 4 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Lade Vale Road requires upgrading | 3 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Lade Vale Road is not suitable for heavy vehicles | 2 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Increased traffic on local roads | 2 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Improvement needed to Chimney Creek crossing | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Improvement needed to Hovells Creek crossing | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Roads nearby the site also require upgrading | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Current sections of road floods | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Current sections of road washes away | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Current road verges have many overhanging trees | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Due to overhanging vegetation, trucks currently drive in the middle of the road | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Damage to local roads | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Concerned about truck movements on the northern half of Hillgrove Road | 1 |
| Community concern presenting opportunity | Safety | Upgrade Hillgrove Road past the fire station | 1 |
| Community support | Community benefits | Positive support for a development in the community | 1 |
| Community support | Environmental benefits | Positive support for solar farm producing renewable energy | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Community benefits | Participating in the construction phase | 7 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Community benefits | Wish to see community grants available | 2 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Community benefits | Trees cleared on the site should be auctioned (firewood) to raise money for the community | 2 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Community benefits | Desire to understand power offtake for adjacent property owners/users | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | How the solar farm will operate | 9 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | When the EIS will be available | 7 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | What materials will be used for fencing | 2 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire for fence lines to remain rural as much as possible | 2 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand how the site will be screened from adjacent property owners/users | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | How will native animals be excluded from the solar farm site | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand how water run-off from and under panels will be managed | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand how residual trees will be protected | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand the bunding around the BESS | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand vegetation management under the panels | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand access to the solar farm in the event of a fire | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand responsibilities for the site | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand tree re-planting | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Visual impacts on local residential homes | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to have a map of the solar farm location | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to offer land for reseeding vegetation | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand status of negotiations with Council regarding upgrading Lade Vale Road | 1 |
| Opportunity for community involvement | Project information sharing | Desire to understand if the solar farm will be on-sold | 1 |
The below Fact Sheet was also provided at the drop in sessions however has been updated with additional details based on questions received during the sessions:
A key item that the community has raised concerns over is the safety of heavy vehicles using Lade Vale Road. Canadian Solar is in discussions with Upper Lachlan Shire Council regarding upgrading this road. The scope of the road upgrade is currently under consideration and will be conceptually provided for in the EIS.
Canadian Solar continues to welcome feedback and enquiries regarding Gunning Solar Farm. Please use the Contact page to send us an enquiry.