The Land and Environment Court of NSW has approved Someva Renewables’ proposed Hills of Gold Wind Farm, ending an 18-month appeal by Tamworth Regional Council that had sought to overturn the project’s original approval.
The Court’s decision comes after Tamworth Regional Council conceded it would no longer argue for the refusal of the project. Someva Renewables understands these proceedings were the first time a local council in NSW had lodged a legal appeal questioning the merits of an approved renewable energy project.
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Someva Renewables development director Tim Mead said, “Someva Renewables welcomes this result which is important for the local community and the energy transition in NSW. The approval of the proposed Hills of Gold Wind Farm by the Land and Environment Court of NSW proves that the independent environmental assessment process for renewable energy projects in NSW is rigorous and withstands legal scrutiny.
“While it is disappointing that Tamworth Regional Council pursued these lengthy and unnecessary legal proceedings at ratepayers’ expense, we hope this outcome sends a clear message: State Significant Developments like renewable energy projects, approved through independent processes, can and should proceed on their merits.”
Hills of Gold Wind Farm was thoroughly assessed over a seven-year period by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure before facing further scrutiny, and receiving a final approval, from the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) in September 2024.
Someva says the case shows renewable energy projects across New South Wales continue to face unnecessary delays.
“[Delays] are costing energy users local communities and these delays are threatening NSW’s energy security and transition,” Mead said.
“It is worth noting that the proposed Hills of Gold Wind Farm remains essentially as approved by the IPC following these legal proceedings. In fact, the road upgrades now required under the Court’s approval are in some cases less extensive than those originally mandated by the IPC.
“Someva Renewables is a proudly NSW-based, 100% Australian owned renewable energy company and we are pleased this legal case has come to an end. After a prolonged period of uncertainty, we look forward to taking the time to engage with the Nundle community and local stakeholders, before providing an update on next steps for the project.”
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If construction proceeds, the Hills of Gold Wind Farm will feature 62 wind turbines generating approximately 372MW—enough to power 163,000 average Australian homes. The proposed wind farm is located approximately 5km south of Hanging Rock and 8km south-east of Nundle in NSW.
