Turbines 'still dominate landscape despite plan change'

The overall visual impact of Mighty River Power's redesigned Turitea Wind Farm proposal is nearly the same as the impact of the previous plan, according to a landscape expert.

Cutting some turbines from the proposal made a big difference at some viewpoints, but their dominance on the skyline was "essentially unchanged", said landscape architect for Palmerston North City Council, Clive Anstey.

A board of inquiry hearing resumed this week to determine whether Mighty River Power should be allowed to build a wind farm on the Tararua Range near Palmerston North. The power company has scaled back its proposal from a maximum of 121 turbines to 104.

The proposed farm spans about 12 kilometres on the range and turbines would be visible from Fitzherbert Ave in the city.

Mr Anstey said the revised project would still have serious effects on Palmerston North's backdrop.

"For the city and surrounding plains, wind turbines would be all pervasive, not only because they are large structures in large numbers, but simply because they are always there and able to be seen, not from everywhere, but from enough places for most people to see them on most days."

The man who led the redesign for Mighty River Power, Stephen Brown, said changes to the proposed scheme would be more easily noticed close to the wind farm.

They would be much more difficult to discern from a wide view.

Questioned by Tararua-Aokautere Guardians member Leigh Dome, he conceded the changes would be "less apparent" from the city.

Mr Brown said he felt any development on the Tararua Range was less than ideal, but the proposal was still acceptable.

The "extensively modified" Turitea landscape was a more appropriate site for a wind farm than the Tararua Forest Park further south, he said.

Judge Shonagh Kenderdine told Mr Brown residents valued their rural amenity and they were worried about the turbines' "industrial" quality.

"[The residents] were here first," she said. Mr Brown said he didn't view turbines as industrial.

Planting trees in mitigation wasn't considered as part of the redesign process, though that could still happen.

On Monday, Mighty River Power sought to have some of city council senior planner Jeff Baker's evidence disallowed.

Yesterday, the board declared his evidence would stay.

Mr Baker's most recent assessment was that just 28 turbines should be permitted.

- © Fairfax NZ News