Since our last update, the Project team has been continuing with preparation of the Project's Planning Permit Application and Environment Report for submission to the relevant Government Departments. This is a key part of the application and the overall project process. An overview of the process is provided below.  

Carefully considering project design and project impacts

As you know, wind farm and battery storage projects are an important part of the renewable energy transition. As part of this, it is key to undertake careful design research, consider different layouts, and listen to locals and stakeholders about concerns and opportunities they may have on the project. To inform the project’s submission, impacts of the proposed development are independently assessed and reported, and these often include matters such as traffic, noise, visual, socio-economic and ecological impacts.

These assessments and feedback enable the project to target design changes that can further reduce potential impacts and improve outcomes for the local community, ecology, and native vegetation. Recent design changes made to the project layout, as shown in the below map, include:

• Removal of two turbines from the South of the project, off Landsborough Road. The total number of turbines has now been reduced from 47 turbines to 45 turbines. 
• Relocation of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) further south-east from the previous location. The proposed new location is away from Landsborough Road and toward Bulgana Terminal Station, which reduces visual and noise impact.
• Reroute of access track to reduce use of Vineyard Road.

Further design refinements are continuing to be explored throughout the Project, aiming to reduce potential impacts to community, local traffic and ecology.

At this time, we invite your feedback via a short survey.

As outlined above, it is important that local community members can provide feedback on the proposed project and have access to project information. One practical way to do this is via a community survey, which can be accessed here -  https://forms.office.com/e/3CSjnsBsVw 

The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and is anonymous. We would greatly appreciate if you could fill the survey in. Your feedback enables us to better understand what is important locally, and what concerns, opportunities, and benefits are related to the proposed project. The feedback will be carefully considered as part of the planning and application process. We would be grateful if you could please complete it by 30 November 2024. 

Next Steps and Project Process

The Planning Application and Environment Report is planned to be submitted in the first quarter of 2025. Further community information sessions will be held prior to this submission in early 2025. Once the project has been submitted to government for assessment, it will then be available for public viewing, and another opportunity for submissions from the community will be available. We will be in touch in regard to this once we have confirmed dates as part of our commitment of keeping the community up to date on the proposed Watta Wella renewable energy project.

Watta Wella Renewable Energy Project Timeline

• Community Information Sessions – Q1 2025
• Planning submission – Q1 2025
• Construction – mid/late 2026 (approximate timing dependant on planning approval and timing of Western Renewables Link) 

In the meantime, RES is proud to be sponsoring the Stawell Show for the third year on 26 October. We hope to see you there!

As always, please get in touch if you have any queries or sponsorship opportunities.

Email:   info.wattawella@wattawella-renewableenergy.com.au

Ph: 0420 475 046 – Bernadette Holland (Partnerships Manager)

      0484 024 727 – Marton Kalocsay (Development Project Manager)

The Watta Wella Project team has been busy conducting further studies to prepare the Planning Permit Application and Environment Report for submission to the relevant Government Departments. As a result of these studies, the following changes have been made to the project layout -  

• The total number of turbines remains the same at 47 turbines, however, two turbines have been removed from the north of the project, off Watta Wella Road. An additional two turbines have been added to the South of the project, off Landsborough Road.  
• The Solar Farm has been removed and is no longer proposed to be a part of the project.  
• The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has moved further along Landsborough Road, away from the Joel Joel Reserve.  

The Planning Application and Environment Report are targeted to be submitted in early 2024. The Project team is busy wrapping up the final technical studies and reports to achieve this milestone. 

We will provide further updates as the project progresses. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

We will be holding community information drop-in sessions at Joel Joel Hall on 14 and 15 July and would like to invite community members to come along and meet the project team, learn more about the project and enjoy some delicious catering from the Joel Joel Hall Committee -

Joel Joel Public Hall, 214 Joel Joel Road

Friday 14 July – 2pm – 6pm

Saturday 15 July – 10am – 2pm

Following the outcome of the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) Referral and the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) Referral in August 2022, the Project team have been conducting further studies to prepare the Planning Permit Application and Environment Report for submission to the relevant Government Departments in late 2023.

As part of this work, various meetings have been held with landholders, project neighbours, local government bodies and conservation organisations. As a result, a number of turbines have been moved to avoid impacts to threatened species and native vegetation.

Please see updated project information sheet and map which shows the new project layout. 

Following the submission of the Environmental Effects Statement Referral in August, the Minister determined that the Watta Wella Renewable energy project does not require and EES, but that it will be subject to certain conditions. The conditions require RES to prepare an Environmental Report focusing on:

• Biodiversity impacts (birds and bats, native vegetation and waterways)
• Mitigation of biodiversity impacts
• Collative effects from existing wind farms in the region

The Environmental Report needs to be accepted by the Minister before a planning permit application can be made.

Following the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Referral, also lodged in August, the Minister determined that the Watta Wella Renewable Energy Project will require formal assessment and approval under the EPBC Act. The decision is based on the presence and potential impact on listed threatened species and communities or migratory species within the project area.

The EPBC act approval is required before a planning permit can be made.

Work is now underway to conduct further studies required to complete the Environmental Report before submitting a planning application in mid-2023.

The Environmental Effects Statement (EES) referral was lodged with the VIC Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) in August 2022 and can be viewed here. 

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC referral) was lodged in August 2022 and can be viewed here.

In May, the RES Project Team conducted two community drop in sessions in Stawell to share project information, provide updates on ongoing assessments, and seek feedback from interested members of the community on the proposed developments. If you missed these sessions - please visit the Contact us page to reach out. 

The first Watta Wella Renewable Energy Project information sheet has been released. It includes information about RES and the three projects. Please click the image below to download the information sheet.

RES is currently assessing the feasibility of the Watta Wella Renewable Energy Project, and is undertaking environmental studies. As part of this, RES is seeking feedback on the Project from key stakeholders and local community members. Please get in contact if you would like to receive further information on the project and/or would like to make a time to meet with members of the project teams.

Click image to download.