NSW Independent Planning Commission

Thunderbolt Wind Farm

SSD-10807896

Development of a wind farm with up to 32 turbines and associated infrastructure.

Case progress

Overview

Determined – approved
Category
Energy
Location
Kentucky
Chair of IPC Panel
Other IPC Panel Members
Suellen Fitzgerald, Dr Bronwyn Evans AM

Map showing the location

Submissions closed
Speaker registration closed
Key dates
Submissions end 25/03/2024 at 5.00pm
Speaker registration end 08/03/2024 at 12.00pm
Public meeting
  • 10.00am Thursday 14 March
    Kentucky Memorial Hall Noalimba Ave, Kentucky

Documents

Case outcome
Case updates from the Commission
DocumentDate
08.04.2024
Additional case material available for public submission
Commission conflicts of interests register
DocumentDate
Conflicts Register (PDF, 60.98 KB)
20.02.2024
Case referral documents
DocumentDate
Referral letter (PDF, 172.41 KB)
20.02.2024
Assessment Report (PDF, 2.07 MB)
20.02.2024
20.02.2024
20.02.2024

Meetings

Public meeting
Registration closed
Registrations end 08/03/2024 at 12.00pm

Meeting information

  • 10:00am Thursday 14 March
    Kentucky Memorial Hall Noalimba Ave, Kentucky

Livestream and recordings

A livestream of this public event will commence at the advertised event start time. A video recording of the public event, which may be edited or redacted prior to publication in line with our guidelines, will be published as soon as practicable after the event and be available until the case is completed.

Speaker schedule and transcripts

DocumentDate
12.03.2024
Public Meeting Transcript (PDF, 350.33 KB)
22.03.2024

Speaker documents

DocumentDate
15.03.2024
15.03.2024
15.03.2024
15.03.2024
15.03.2024
15.03.2024
15.03.2024

Public meeting notification

The community will be able to have their say in a public meeting on a proposal by Neoen Australia Pty Ltd to establish a 192MW wind farm with up to 32 turbines and associated infrastructure. 

The proposed Thunderbolt Wind Farm (SSD-10807896) is located on the north-west side of the New England Highway near Kentucky, approximately 30 km south-west of Uralla. The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s Assessment Report states that this State significant development would power up to 99,000 homes per year and make a material contribution towards meeting the NSW Government’s net zero targets and renewable energy objectives.

The decision on whether the Thunderbolt Wind Farm will be given planning approval has been referred to the Independent Planning Commission because the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure received an objection from Uralla Shire Council and over 50 unique submissions objecting to the proposal.

Commissioners Neal Menzies (Chair), Bronwyn Evans and Suellen Fitzgerald have been appointed to determine the development application.

The Commission will hold a public meeting on Thursday 14 March 2024 (10:00 AM AEDT start) ​to hear the community’s views. Speakers can attend in person at the Kentucky Memorial Hall (Noalimba Ave, Kentucky), via online video link or telephone.

The Commission is also inviting written submissions from the public. 

The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has provided the Commission Panel with its whole-of-government Assessment Report on the proposed Thunderbolt Wind Farm, along with all previous public and stakeholder submissions. The public meeting will allow the Commission Panel to hear from the local community and stakeholders about the Department’s assessment of the key issues – including visual impacts, traffic and transport, agricultural impacts and land use, and biodiversity – and the recommended conditions of consent it has proposed. These documents are available on the Commission’s website.

Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission’s website. The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00 noon AEDT on Friday, 8 March, 2024.

Written submissions can be lodged via the ‘Make a Submission’ portal on the Commission’s website. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email. Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday 25 March 2024.

Please note
Registered speakers for the public meeting will be asked to indicate a preference for presenting to the Commission Panel either in-person at the venue or virtually (i.e. via Zoom video link or telephone). 

If demand for speaker timeslots is high and Thursday 14 March 2024 becomes fully booked, the Commission may ​seek to schedule a second day. Similarly. if demand for either in-person or virtual attendance is low, the Commission may opt to conduct the meeting either entirely virtually, or entirely in person.  

If either of these scenarios occur, this will be fully communicated to all registered speakers in advance, including how the Commission can assist people to attend the meeting virtually.  Please read the Speaker Registration Form carefully, and provide as much detail as possible. These flexible arrangements ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to be heard, while also making best use of public resources.

Meeting with Applicant

Meeting information

Date and time

4:00 PM Mon 04 March 2024

Meeting documents

DocumentDate
Applicant meeting transcript (PDF, 281.49 KB)
13.03.2024
Applicant presentation (PDF, 1.38 MB)
13.03.2024

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Meeting with Department

Meeting information

Date and time

9:00 AM Mon 04 March 2024

Meeting documents

DocumentDate
13.03.2024
Department presentation (PDF, 1.37 MB)
13.03.2024

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Meeting with Tamworth Regional Council

Meeting information

Date and time

10:00 AM Tue 12 March 2024

Meeting documents

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Meeting with Tamworth Regional Council Officers

Meeting information

Date and time

11:00 AM Mon 04 March 2024

Meeting documents

DocumentDate
13.03.2024

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Meeting with Uralla Shire Council

Meeting information

Date and time

4:00 PM Mon 11 March 2024

Meeting documents

DocumentDate
20.03.2024

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Site inspection

Site inspection information

Date and time

12:08 PM Mon 11 March 2024

Site inspection documents

DocumentDate
Site Inspection Notes (PDF, 1.47 MB)
22.03.2024

Disclaimer

The Commission's Transparency Policy sets out how information related to this meeting will be made publicly available.

Public submissions

ID Name Date Submission
Alison Cairns 16/04/2024
Angus Carter 15/04/2024
George Papadopoulos 15/04/2024
Catherine Woof 15/04/2024
Grant Piper 15/04/2024
Karen Zirkler 15/04/2024
Rose Perrott 15/04/2024
Vivienne CarrWallace 15/04/2024
Emma Bowman 15/04/2024
Ian McDonald 15/04/2024
Lynette LaBlack 15/04/2024
Anne Bowman 15/04/2024
Grant Piper 15/04/2024
John Peatfield 15/04/2024
Richard Croft 15/04/2024
Elizabeth White 15/04/2024
Ian Baldwin 15/04/2024
Kylie Eason 15/04/2024
Sally Edwards 15/04/2024
Warren Lowrey 15/04/2024
Garry Bashford 15/04/2024
Ian McDonald 15/04/2024
Lynette LaBlack 15/04/2024
Stephen Johnston 15/04/2024
Catherine Donaldson 15/04/2024
Grant Piper 15/04/2024
Julian Prior 15/04/2024
Rohan Williams 15/04/2024
Veronica Porter 15/04/2024
Emma Bowman 15/04/2024
Ian Baldwin 15/04/2024
SOS 15/04/2024
165737 Name redacted 28/03/2024
165759 Gina Vereker 28/03/2024
Neoen 27/03/2024
John Peatfield 26/03/2024
Timothy Clifford 26/03/2024
165589 Sean Doodson 26/03/2024
Alison Cairns 26/03/2024
Stephen Johnston 26/03/2024
165571 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165761 Heidi McElnea 26/03/2024
165717 Christopher Eveleigh 26/03/2024
Lynette LaBlack 26/03/2024
164574 Name redacted 22/03/2024
164058 Robert Crouch 18/03/2024
164285 Rose Perrott 18/03/2024
Uralla Shire 15/03/2024
ID Name Date Submission
165644 Rohan Dawson 28/03/2024
165701 Thalia Edge 28/03/2024
165763 Tony Ernst 28/03/2024
165274 Name redacted 28/03/2024
165744 Sally Edwards 28/03/2024
165709 Kate Mackaway 26/03/2024
165726 Michelle & Ken Park 26/03/2024
165553 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165754 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165753 Cindy Butler 26/03/2024
165346 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165348 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165715 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165721 Annie Lamb 26/03/2024
165486 Kait Manchip 26/03/2024
165539 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165400 Catherine Woof 26/03/2024
165690 Emma Bowman 26/03/2024
165270 Theresa Folpp 26/03/2024
165760 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165682 Kevin Hughes 26/03/2024
165405 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165762 Dixie Ernst 26/03/2024
165549 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165375 Geoffrey Jones 26/03/2024
165678 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165630 Corinne Annetts 26/03/2024
165477 Julian Prior 26/03/2024
165465 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165740 Name redacted 26/03/2024
164536 Name redacted 22/03/2024
164801 Leanne Allman 22/03/2024
164639 Amber Pedersen 22/03/2024
164952 Gai Lowrey 22/03/2024
164512 Scott Mutton 22/03/2024
164552 Name redacted 22/03/2024
164941 Name redacted 22/03/2024
164821 Annie Hutchison 22/03/2024
164520 Garry Bashford 22/03/2024
164782 Warren Lowrey 22/03/2024
164176 Ian McDonald 18/03/2024
164168 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164385 Jody McNally 18/03/2024
164302 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164380 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164381 Name redacted 18/03/2024
163389 Rick Campbell 18/03/2024
164208 Kay Wilson 18/03/2024
164247 Name redacted 18/03/2024
163189 Steven Rhodes 18/03/2024
163208 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164350 Name redacted 18/03/2024
163183 Karen Rhodes 18/03/2024
164320 Marilyn Wood 18/03/2024
164299 Kylie Eason 18/03/2024
164351 Name redacted 18/03/2024
162492 Geoffrey Houston 15/03/2024
161933 Ian Baldwin 15/03/2024
161763 Name redacted 15/03/2024
162005 Neil Killion 15/03/2024
161942 Richard Croft 15/03/2024
ID Name Date Submission
165279 Sean Doodson 28/03/2024
165533 Rose Perrott 28/03/2024
165741 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165570 Jennifer Smith 26/03/2024
165747 Name redacted 26/03/2024
165598 Sean Doodson 26/03/2024
165055 Nita Hughes 22/03/2024
164029 Carmel Perrott 18/03/2024
163500 Dominic Osborne 18/03/2024
163950 Stephen ward 18/03/2024
163699 Alik Williams 18/03/2024
163126 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164292 David O'Neill 18/03/2024
164117 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164378 John Hughes 18/03/2024
164166 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164441 Name redacted 18/03/2024
164272 Name redacted 18/03/2024
163830 Name redacted 18/03/2024
162444 Sonya Hughes 15/03/2024
162925 Ben Ewald 15/03/2024