By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
A new proposed route for the controversial Western Renewables Link has been published, but groups protesting the powerlines say the plan is just \u201cmore of the same\u201d.<\/p>\n
AusNet Services, which is planning the Western Renewables Link, formally announced the updated proposal on Thursday 18 August, with tweaks to the sections of the line from Waubra to Glendonald, Mount Prospect to Long Forest, and Long Forest to Sydenham.<\/p>\n
The section from Bulgana to Waubra remains the same under the new proposal.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest adjustments is near Myrniong, with the new proposed route moving further from the Myrniong township and closer to the Lerderderg State Park, which AusNet says will \u201creduce the visual scale of towers\u201d and increase distance to some houses on farming land\u201d.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Western Renewables Link said the proposed route had been refined \u201cin response to additional feedback and studies\u201d, and the project \u201cwill be developed over several years\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve reviewed the two alternatives at Melton and chosen a modified version of the northern route that was originally proposed. At this stage we have no updates for the Hepburn Lagoon options. A preferred route has not yet been identified and our investigations are continuing,\u201d the spokesperson told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll impacted landholders with a property within the proposed route were contacted by their dedicated Land Liaison Officer. Community information sessions have also been held in relevant local government areas so community members can learn more.”<\/p>\n
But Emma Muir from Stop AusNet\u2019s Towers argues the realignment is just pushing the issue to other landowners, and said some impacted landowners had been blindsided by AusNet\u2019s announcement on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really disappointed with how they\u2019ve released this, I know at least half a dozen people who weren\u2019t consulted and didn\u2019t even know, they weren\u2019t even contacted about the new route before the announcement,\u201d Ms Muir said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole community in these areas will be impacted, not just landholders, which AusNet fail to recognise. They say 240 landholders are affected, but it\u2019s not just that, it\u2019s neighbours and the community too. If you\u2019re a neighbour and powerlines are going up on your boundary fence, it might impact you too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really see a lot of change, I just think it\u2019s more of the same, and we\u2019re disappointed that yet again they\u2019re not looking into undergrounding. That\u2019d be a better change,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Western Renewables Link is currently going through the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process, and Ms Muir says the community will \u201ccontinue to fight\u201d as it has been for almost the last two and a half years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going away, we\u2019re still here\u2026why not use the best technology, be clever, spend the money and do it properly. Keep the community on-side instead of fighting us\u2026we will continue to fight. We\u2019ll happily help you build them if you build them in a way the community agrees to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
To view the new proposed route for yourself, visit www.westernrenewableslink.com.au\/news and click \u2018Update to the proposed Western Renewables Link route\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis A new proposed route for the controversial Western Renewables Link has been published, but groups protesting the powerlines say the plan is just \u201cmore of the same\u201d. AusNet Services, which is planning the Western Renewables Link, formally announced the updated proposal on Thursday 18 August, with tweaks to the sections of the […]<\/p>\n