147 Church Road - LUC-2015-469 - establish a wind farm

Resource consent is sought to establish a community owned wind farm on Porteous Hill near Warrington.  The proposed facility will comprise 3 turbines.  The full height of the turbines from ground level to rotor tip will be between 80-102m in height.  The locational layout of the turbines is identified in the application as indicative and subject to adjustments.  Layout adjustments will not result in the turbines being moved closer to dwellings.

Earthworks will be required for the project to construct access tracks and excavate foundations.  These are estimated to be up to 6500m³ in volume.  Parts of the site are located within the North Coast Costal Landscape Preservation Area but the turbines are located outside the landscape area boundary.

The proposal is assessed as a non-complying activity under the operative Dunedin City District Plan as wind farm activities are a utility that is not provided for in the operative Plan.

The Proposed Second Generation District Plan (2GP) was notified on 26 September 2015.  Community wind farms are intended to be a discretionary restricted activity under the 2GP.  The proposed rules do not have immediate effect and at this time there are no relevant rules to consider. The 2GP objectives and policies must be taken into account.

The application contains an assessment of effects that incudes expert reports on landscape, noise and ecological effects.