Uriarra Solar Farm Company to Reveal New Plans to Residents

Photo: Uriarra residents fear their rural outlook will be ruined by a proposed solar farm on a
neighbouring property. (ABC News)

Uriarra residents will this week see the latest plans for a major solar farm near the rural village in Canberra's west.

The company behind the project, Elementus Energy submitted a new development application (DA) to build a 26,000-panel solar farm near Uriarra Village, to generate enough electricity to power more than 1,400 homes.

It will make its plans public later this week.

A previous application for solar cells to be built on a paddock across the road from houses in Uriarra Valley was rejected last year.

Resident Judy Middlebrook told 666 ABC Canberra that most of the anger about the project was around the closeness of solar panels to residences.

"From reading this, it looks as if he has moved it back 100 metres or so but we won't know that until the DA is notified," she said.

"The mood is now let's wait and see.

"We live on a hill overlooking Uriarra Valley and he will have to move it right back towards the Uriarra Crossing end for our concerns about the visual impact to be addressed."

The residents started a social media campaign last year and vowed to keep fighting against the 10 megawatt solar farm site.

They unsuccessfully tried to have the village heritage listed.

Most of the original 1920s buildings were destroyed in the 2003 Canberra bushfires.

A letter from developers to local residents has stated the new proposal will include a larger set-back distance for solar panels.

A spokesperson from Elementus Energy was not available to comment.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-01/uriarra-solar-farm-company-to-reveal-new-plans-to-residents/5562570