PROJECT OVERVIEW
Golder is an employee-owned, global organisation providing consulting, design and construction services in our specialist areas of earth, environment and energy through technical excellence, innovative solutions and award-winning client service.
Operating in Australia since 1972, we bring a wealth of local knowledge and experience to our client’ projects , as well as an enthusiastic and energetic approach to all that we do.
Golder is an employee-owned, global organisation providing consulting, design and construction services in our specialist areas of earth, environment and energy through technical excellence, innovative solutions and award-winning client service.
Operating in Australia since 1972, we bring a wealth of local knowledge and experience to our client’ projects , as well as an enthusiastic and energetic approach to all that we do.
Australia Plains Solar Project is a project consisting of 340 hectares ground-mounted solar panels at Australia Plains.
Water
A surface water assessment has been completed which confirms that the site is not at risk of flooding from the River Murray. However, the site contains several low-lying areas that are subject to inundation. These areas will be used as water storages with shallow swales to be installed to direct runoff to these storages in order to constrain runoff to pre-development levels. The layout of solar panels has been designed to accommodate the water storage areas and swales to prevent any off-site flooding impacts.
Vegetation
The site contains some important stands of native vegetation that will be retained and protected during construction and operation of the proposed solar farm. Clearance of some native vegetation will be required to accommodate the solar panels with a suitable Significant Environmental Benefit to offset this clearance to be negotiated with the Native Vegetation Council.
Traffic
A traffic assessment of the solar farm site has recommended that access to the site occur via Goyder Highway with a new access point to be constructed on the south-west corner of the site. Both the route and new access point are supported by the Mid Murray Council and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) with Golden Invest to develop this access point in line with Council and DPTI requirements.
Aboriginal Heritage
Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988, Golden Invest is required to take all reasonable measures to ensure that the solar farm development has no adverse impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage. A desktop study and risk assessment of the site has been completed, indicating that there are no listed items of cultural heritage significance on the site and there is, as a result, a very low risk of project works encountering Aboriginal heritage.
Off-site impacts
The operation of the solar farm will not disturb activities on adjacent land or the wider locality. By their very nature, solar farms are quite benign in terms of their off-site impacts and are highly unlikely to cause any nuisance associated with way of noise, dust, fumes or glare.
Grid connection
A substation will be constructed as part of the solar farm and is to be located adjacent the existing high voltage transmission line to minimise the need for additional overhead lines to connect into the grid. Golden Invest has obtained approval from the Office of the Technical Regulator for the project.
Project Assessment
The proposed solar farm is to be assessed by the State Commission Assessment Panel against the relevant provisions of the recently introduced Planning and Design Code (Phase 2). Council will be provided with an opportunity to comment on the proposal and Golden Invest will continue to liaise with Council’s planning and infrastructure staff to ensure they are informed of project status.