Planning Guideline for Wind Farm Development
The uploaded document is a comprehensive planning guideline titled “State code 23: Wind farm development” dated February 2025, published by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning in Queensland, Australia. This is a regulatory document that provides detailed guidance for wind farm developers, planners, and assessors.
Document Structure and Purpose
The 62-page guideline serves as a reference document for applicants preparing development applications for new wind farms or changes to existing approvals in Queensland. It outlines:
- The purpose and scope of the guideline
- Pre-lodgement consultation requirements
- Supporting application materials needed
- SDAP (State Development Assessment Provisions) assessment criteria
- Detailed methodologies for technical assessments
- Appendices with specific assessment methodologies
The document explicitly states that it aims to assist applicants in preparing “decision ready” applications that respond to the purpose and performance outcomes of State code 23, though following the guideline does not guarantee approval.
Key Components of the Guideline
Pre-lodgement Consultation
The guideline strongly recommends consultation with numerous stakeholders before lodging applications:
- Network service providers (Energy Queensland and Powerlink Queensland)
- Air services stakeholders (Airservices Australia, Department of Defence)
- Local governments
- Local communities
- Department of Energy and Climate
- Department of Resources, Land and Surveying Services
- Department of Transport and Main Roads
- Railway managers
- Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Required Documentation
The document clearly distinguishes between reports required at lodgement and those likely to be conditioned as part of a development permit:
Required at lodgement:
- Ecological Assessment Report
- Preliminary Rehabilitation Plan
- Agricultural Land Assessment
- Site Plan identifying clearing extent
- Erosion Risk Assessment
- Natural Hazard Risk Assessment Report
- Noise Impact Assessment
- Preliminary Electromagnetic Interference Assessment
- Shadow Flicker Assessment Report
- Workforce Accommodation and Infrastructure Report
- Visual Impact Assessment Report (if in high scenic amenity area)
- Heavy Vehicle and OSOM Construction Concept Strategy
- Aviation Impact Statement Report
- Community Engagement Report
- Decommissioning Security Report
Likely to be conditioned:
- Vegetation and Fauna Management Plan
- Bird and Bat Management Plan
- Rehabilitation Management Plan
- Stormwater Management Plan
- Erosion and Sediment Control Plans
- Bushfire Management Plans
- Updated Noise Impact Assessment
- Final Electromagnetic Interference Assessment
- Traffic Management Plan
- Decommissioning Management Plans
Performance Outcomes Assessment
The document provides detailed guidance on meeting performance outcomes across multiple areas:
- Protected wildlife and habitats: Requirements for ecological assessments, vegetation management, and bird/bat impact mitigation
- Agricultural land: Assessment of impacts on high-quality agricultural land
- Natural drainage patterns: Management of waterways and drainage
- Water quality and erosion control: Detailed erosion risk assessment and management
- Natural hazards: Risk assessment and management for bushfires and extreme weather events
- Acoustic amenity: Comprehensive noise assessment methodology with specific criteria for host and non-host lots
- Electromagnetic interference: Assessment and mitigation of impacts on communications
- Shadow flicker: Assessment methodology and limits
- Workforce accommodation: Assessment of impacts on housing and community services
- Scenic amenity: Visual impact assessment requirements
- Transport networks: Assessment of traffic impacts, particularly for oversized loads
- Infrastructure: Assessment of impacts on local infrastructure
- Aviation safety: Assessment of impacts on aviation operations
- Community impact: Requirements for community engagement
- Decommissioning: Requirements for end-of-life planning and financial security
Technical Methodologies
The appendices provide detailed technical methodologies for:
- Ecological Assessment Reports
- Bird and bat impact assessment
- Noise assessment (particularly comprehensive)
- Electromagnetic interference assessment
- Shadow flicker assessment
Notable Requirements
Noise Assessment
The noise section is particularly detailed, with specific criteria:
- For host lots: Night time (8pm-6am) limit of 45 dB(A) or background noise +5 dB(A), whichever is greater
- For non-host lots: Night time limit of 35 dB(A) or background noise +5 dB(A), whichever is greater; Day time (6am-8pm) limit of 37 dB(A) or background noise +5 dB(A)
Community Engagement
The guideline emphasizes the importance of community engagement, noting that “community stakeholders have become increasingly critical of the fact that most wind farms are code assessable and therefore proponents have no statutory requirement to consult.” It strongly encourages proactive engagement with local communities.
Decommissioning
The guideline requires detailed planning for two phases of decommissioning:
- End of construction decommissioning (removing temporary construction facilities)
- End of operation decommissioning (complete removal of the wind farm)
Financial security is required to ensure decommissioning can occur “at no cost to landowners or the government.”
Relevance to Bashan Wind Farm
While this Queensland guideline would not directly apply to the Bashan Wind Farm project in Tasmania (which was discussed in previous documents), it provides insight into best practices for wind farm development that may be relevant. The Bashan Wind Farm would likely need to address similar issues regarding environmental impacts, community engagement, and operational considerations, though under Tasmanian and Commonwealth regulatory frameworks rather than Queensland’s.
The methodologies outlined in this document, particularly for ecological assessments and bird/bat management, could inform approaches for the Bashan project, which has identified potential impacts on threatened species including the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Conclusion
This document represents a comprehensive regulatory framework for wind farm development in Queensland, providing detailed guidance on assessment requirements and methodologies. It reflects the complex balance between promoting renewable energy development while managing environmental, social, and community impacts.
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