Makara wind farm proposal appeals hearing under way

Meridian Energy announced the project last June. Picture / Mark Mitchell.

Meridian Energy told an Environment Court hearing in Wellington today it has agreed to an extensive suite of conditions to address all environmental concerns and a range of other matters at its proposed massive wind farm near Wellington.

The hearing into the state-owned company's estimated $380 million Project West Wind followed approval for the 70-turbine project last year from commissioners of the Wellington City and Regional Councils.

Meridian, itself, has appealed a noise condition and there are eight other appeals against the councils' decision.

Those appealing include Makara Guardians, Quartz Hill Reserve Charitable Trust, West Wellington Environmental Protection Society, Action for Environment Incorporated, and Southern Environmental Association.

The turbines, up to 80m high and with a maximum rotor diameter of 90m, are to be placed on ridgelines within a 56sq km area on the coast near Makara, southwest of Wellington.

In opening submissions for Meridian today Hugh Rennie, QC said Meridian had agreed to an extensive range of consent conditions.

Those conditions addressed all environmental concerns and a range of other matters, he said.

As a result of experience in this country and overseas, Meridian considered that identified fears relating to the project were either unlikely to happen, or be overstated, or both.

Noise conditions

Mr Rennie said consent conditions had set out a rigorous noise management regime, and Meridian would not be able to operate its turbines if at any time it could not meet the imposed limitations.

Meridian had agreed to a set of noise conditions that exceeded best practice in other jurisdictions, he said.

The company had agreed to those conditions in light of the sensitivity of neighbours, and because of the company's confidence noise emissions from the wind farm would not pose a problem for residents.

However, Mr Rennie said: "A noisy windy day before a wind farm is built may be just as noisy after it is built."

"Most people do not notice, but for some the wind farm element in the components (not level) of noise is an irritant reminder of a development they did not want."

Meridian, itself, was appealing a condition that seemed to impose a requirement that it would have to meet noise standards at any dwelling that may be built in the area in future, Mr Rennie said.

Such a condition would be unreasonable and impractical.

The company did accept the wind farm would cause adverse effects to aspects of natural character and landscape, and would be visible from parts of the shoreline, coastal cliffs and sea.

But "the effects have to be considered in the context of the very substantial benefits of the proposal, and the very limited number of other locations in the country where a wind resource approaching the quality of this site are found".

Four weeks have been set aside for the hearing, with a week-long break between weeks two and three.

- NZPA