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PLANS to build two solar farms in the Horsham municipality will go ahead.
The council approved the planning permit applications on a 196-hectare property at Riverside and a 370-hectare property at Murra Warra.
The Horsham solar farm will be built next to an electrical sub-station on the corner of Horsham-Lubeck and Riverside roads.
The Murra Warra solar farm shares the site with the Murra Warra wind farm located on the border of Horsham Rural City and Yarriambiack shire.
Horsham Mayor Pam Clarke said the projects were significant for the region. She said the solar farms would generate continual economic activity for the municipality.
“With a combined total investment of $470 million – incorporating up to 1,290,000 solar panels – the new solar farms will generate substantial economic activity during the initial construction phase and with their ongoing operations,” she said.
The developers – ESCO Pacific and RES Australia – will make submissions to the Victorian Renewable Energy Auction Scheme for support.
“The scheme aims to support achievement of the Victorian Renewable Energy Targets, which is to ensure that 25 per cent of the state’s electricity generation comes from renewable sources by 2020, rising to 40 percent by 2025,” Cr Clarke said.
Submissions to the scheme for large-scale technology neutral and solar-specific renewable energy will be accepted until February, with the outcomes to be announced in July.
Cr Clarke said it was important for the two developers to work with the community throughout the process.
She said the developers had already shown their willingness for community involvement.
ESCO Pacific head of development Allison Hawke said the company was working towards satisfying the conditions of the permit including landscaping, stormwater management plans and dust suppression.
Ms Hawke said the company would start the process to employ a lead construction contractor.
She said the community would remain informed as the project developed.
“Through the planning assessment phase, we had an obligation to ensure the community understood what the project involved. It’s important we continue to update them on the project as it advances towards construction,” she said.
She said suitable sub-contractors would be mobilised at the appropriate stage.
“That is a real win-win for the project and the community. We prefer and encourage our lead contractor to sub-contract from the community,” she said.