$20m solar farm gets green light

A MAJOR solar project with the capacity to power 4800 homes will start construction within months after it was approved by the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

The 12-megawatt solar farm on Adare and Goos Road outside Gatton was given the green light at Wednesday’s meeting.

According to applicant Gatton Solar Farm Pty Ltd, the $20m project will produce energy to power the townships of Gatton and Laidley.

Council planning officer Tammee Van Bael recommended the solar farm be approved, subject to more than 60 conditions.

“The facility will connect into the existing Gatton substation located approximately one kilometre northwest of the site via the existing 33kV high voltage transmission line,” she wrote in her report.

“The facility is estimated to have a 30 year life, however, this could potentially be extended depending upon the solar panels and technology at the time.”

Precinct Urban Planning’s Andrew Bullen, who represented the applicant at the meeting, said he was pleased with the outcome.

“Through the process, there was a lot of work done on landscaping and buffering,” he said.

“It was really positive, the council was very supportive and it went through as per the recommendation.

“We were quite impressed with Lockyer’s planning section, because they were objective and insisted on getting the right work done.”

Mr Bullen said the applicant planned to start construction within a few months, pending extra approvals with Energex and the appeal period expiring.