Call for axed turbines to be restored

A farmer involved in the Turitea Wind Farm proposal has told a board of inquiry he wants some turbines axed by Mighty River Power reinstated.

John Love said the power company's redesign, which saw 17 turbines removed from its proposal, created "illogical gaps" in the wind farm layout. Some turbines cut from the project should instead have been moved, he said.

The Greens Rd resident said the man who led the redesign, Stephen Brown, did not take into account local support for the project.

Mighty River Power wants to build up to 104 turbines on the Tararua Range near Palmerston North and has said its redesign – a slightly scaled-back proposal – was designed to make the project more sympathetic to the landform.

Mr Love's wife, Kathy Love, said the company had made unwarranted changes to its original proposal.

Pahiatua Track resident Lorraine Tremain said the power company's redesign, including the axing of 13 turbines near her home, would be a big improvement for her family.

She remained opposed to the project, however, and neighbours had not been as fortunate, she said.

Ms Tremain said the status of the Turitea nature reserve should never have been changed by Palmerston North City Council to allow renewable electricity to be generated there.

She said she was adversely affected by noise from the Te Rere Hau wind farm about 2.5 kilometres from where she lived.

A chorus of complaints about noise problems there had not been dealt with effectively, she said.

Ms Tremain said her faith in the Resource Management Act process had almost been destroyed.

"Surely we are the experts in what we hear in our own homes."

Mighty River Power lawyer Karen Price said Te Rere Hau would be responsible for the "noise contour" between Te Rere Hau and Turitea.

Noise conditions for Turitea, if approved, would be more stringent.

Ms Tremain said the proposed Turitea farm remained too close to too many houses and too close to Palmerston North. It was also risky to have the wind farm so near the drinking water supply, she said.

Her husband, Ashley Kells, was worried about possible health problems and possible effects on farm animals.

Mrs Love said she had observed at a Tararua Wind Farm property that sheep actually "cuddled up" to turbine towers for shelter.

Kahuterawa Rd resident Ralph Pugmire raised the possibility of a separate cycleway to make the road safer when construction traffic was travelling to and from the site.

He appreciated changes Mighty River had made to its proposal.

Millricks Line resident Alison Mildon said she didn't want the landscape to become known as Mighty River Power's flagship wind project.

Ms Mildon said Manawatu wind farms were a collective mess and Turitea, if approved, would add to that.

- © Fairfax NZ News