‘Home of Wind Farms’ Seeks Residents’ Views

By KATTERNS, Tanya

ENERGY companies eager to erect more wind turbines in Tararua and Manawatu could face a blustery attitude from local authorities as they canvass residents’ opinions.

Tararua District Council wants to hear whether residents want controls imposed on wind energy providers to prevent turbines from becoming “a blight on the region’s landscape”.

There are three separate wind farms within Tararua District territory, and another two in Manawatu.

TrustPower and Wind Farm Developments have proposed to extend their capacity to nearly double production, and plans are afoot for further wind farms.

A council planning solutions consultant, Anne Hilson, said the district was generating about 95 per cent of the country’s wind power production and had proclaimed itself “the home of the wind farms”, but it was time for balance.

Unless the integration of wind farms into the landscape was carefully considered, they could become “a blight on the region’s landscape” that residents ceased to tolerate, she said.

“It may already be too late to control wind farm locations. If the horse hasn’t already bolted, it is at least pawing at the ground.”

Applications on wind farm locations or expansions are treated case by case. There are no restrictions on height or turbine numbers.

The issue of wind farms is being considered as the council begins reworking its district plan.

Council chief executive Roger Twentyman said it was a chance for the council to gauge whether people understood there were no real rules or regulations attached to the establishment of wind farms — though there were resource consent hurdles.

A recent Massey University Survey showed that 80 per cent of people in Manawatu who lived within three kilometres of wind turbines found them intrusive, while 73 per cent thought the turbines unattractive.

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