¶ STRONGLY voiced local objections were not enough to sway the Regional Development Assessment Panel last week as it gave the go ahead for a Palmer-based grid-scale battery and solar farm.
A clash between state and local Just Transition priorities came to the forefront as panel members voted three to two in favour of providing planning approval for Hesperia property group subsidiary Enpowered’s $500 million 200 megawatt battery and 66 megawatt solar farm.
Local government delegates, Collie Shire president Ian Miffling and deputy shire president Joe Italiano, voted against the motion and were scathing in their assessment of the suitability of the project in a rural zone and the benefits it would deliver Collie.
The appropriateness of the project’s location was debated, as were the environmental risks it could pose.
Surrounding landowners Travis Watson and Sandra Chappell detailed the impact the project would have on their amenity and appealed for the panel to reject it.
“This is not just about losing a view, it is about losing the very qualities that underpin my investment, my lifestyle and my future retirement,” Mr Watson said.
“What I stand to lose cannot just be replaced.”
Mr Watson said he does not believe the project aligns with planning frameworks.
“I am not against renewable energy,” he said.
“I am against poor site selection that places a burden visually, financially and environmentally, and in terms of safety, on the neighbouring residents.” 
Mrs Chappell echoed Mr Watson’s concerns, highlighting the visual and noise impacts of the project, along with the fire risks posed by lithium batteries.
It was also questioned why the project could not be located in an industrial park, such as the Coolangatta Industrial Estate or the Shotts Industrial Park.
However, Urbis WA regional director Karen Wright, speaking on behalf of the project proponents, said that the State Government’s preference is for areas of this type to be reserved for major job-creating activities.
“We contend that the development is actually consistent with the objectives of the rural zone,” Ms Wright said.
Enpowered manager Linh Le said the site had been selected due to its proximity to the Western Power Palmer terminal, along with consistency with other power generation and transmission infrastructure within a 5 kilometre radius.
Cr Miffling said there would be no economic spin-off for Collie.
“We’ve heard that it is in the state interest,” Cr Miffling said. “The state interest is one thing, the interest of Collie is another thing.
“In terms of our local government, the Just Transition process is about providing job opportunities through new industry for our community.
“This does not provide any ongoing job opportunities.”
Cr Miffling acknowledged that the development is permitted under the local planning scheme.
“However, in my view, it should not be automatic that an approval is granted,” he said.
“I believe that the scale of this proposed development, by virtue of its size and land coverage, negates the rural aspect totally. 
“It really does, in my opinion, become an industrial site.”
The visual impact of the project should not be “something that the adjoining landowners should have to endure,” Cr Miffling said.
Fire risks and risks to local waterways are also of concern, he added.
“I think it’s a risk too much to take,” Cr Miffling said.
Cr Italiano said Collie already has a shortage of rural land.
“I’d also point out that we have the Shotts Industrial Park that’s been sitting idle for the best part of 30 years,” Cr Italiano said.
“I believe that if the state was fair dinkum in its intention to get these sorts of projects moving, it would be encouraging proponents to go to these sorts of areas.”
Panel deputy presiding member Dale Page said she was satisfied about the project’s suitability in a rural zone.
“The nature of a rural zone in a planning sense is not just open paddocks, there is other stuff that comes into play with that,” she said.
“It does open the potential for other uses to be developed on rural land and this is one of them.
“I think the application has provided quite strong and clear justification as to why development like this is quite well suited for the rural zone.”