Residents in New England waiting months for Winterbourne Windfarm to release Environmental Impact Statement so objections can be raised

Centrepoint Tower in Sydney's CBD reaches 309m and the average height of a wind turbine in Australia is between 150m to 270m.

This is the message from Walcha-based Damien Timms who was guest speaker at the Armidale Regional Ratepayers Association ARRA meeting on Monday night.

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Mr Timms is not against the move from coal to renewable energy but he is opposed to the New England region with its prime grazing lands and heritage-listed parks being home to the Renewable Energy Zone REZ.

Locals are still waiting on Vesta, the Danish-based developers of Winterbourne, to release their Environmental Impact Statement EIS so they can raise objections.

Mr Timms said he expects the multinational corporation to release their EIS in early November, giving the community only 28 days before Christmas to appeal the proposal to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

A meeting was held in Walcha in October and attended by Nationals' MP Barnaby Joyce and about 250 locals to raise issues about the REZ.

Winterbourne executives did not make an appearance at the Walcha meeting despite claiming on their website they are engaging with the local community.

The Armidale Express has contacted Winterbourne for a response.

Mr Timms has estimated more than 280 trucks will be on the roads carting heavy materials from the port of Newcastle through New England during the peak construction period on Winterbourne if it goes ahead.

But it's not only the damage to infrastructure that has Mr Timms and others like him concerned.

He said contracts that big renewable energy developers are making with landowners in exchange for money have confidentiality clauses which prevent them from telling their neighbours.

This is resulting in fractured closed-down communities as neighbours only find out about the development when the foundations, towers and rotor blades are carted onto the adjacent property.

"We've seen brothers fighting brothers, long term neighbours fighting long term neighbours, people walking down the street crossing the road because they thought that someone might have a difference of opinion," Mr Timms said.

The New England REZ is one of five the NSW government has planned across the state, including Central-West Orana in an area around Dubbo, South-West located near the border with Victoria, Illawarra, and the Hunter Central Coast.

The New England REZ is expected to bring in about 2000 construction jobs and support 1300 ongoing positions to generate about 8000 megawatts of energy for 3.5 million homes upon completion.

This will bring in more workers, most of whom will be temporary, resulting in a much-needed boost to the local economy in areas such as retail and hospitality.

However, with a current shortfall in services such as housing, health and education, some have raised concerns about whether there will be enough support and housing available for the additional workers.

Locally, Armidale Mayor Sam Coupland is leading a push with five councils including Walcha, Glen Innes, Inverell and Uralla to put together a 'statement of expectation' for renewable energy developers, which will include a community fund, local engagement and a decommissioning bond.

Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes at the meeting in October said the community wants a share of the millions of dollars developers make from the renewable energy projects.

An upcoming drop-in information session, for people wanting to know more about the proposed Boorolong Windfarm, is planned for September 20 and 21 from 2pm to 7pm at the Armidale City Bowling Club.

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