Walcha community now has until January 22 to comment on Winterbourne wind farm EIS

Mr Marshall went to the Minister amidst concern the looming deadline for submissions on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of December 15, was "too soon".

The community had been given just a month to comment.

The Winterbourne Wind Farm is the largest project of its type ever put forward in the region.

"This is great news for the community, which will now have until 22 January next year to make a submission in response to the Winterbourne proposal," Mr Marshall said.

Read more: Locals are angry at Winterbourne Windfarm executives' lack of consultation with the Walcha community

"The Department was only publicly exhibiting the proposal for one month, which simply was not enough time for the community to read, critically analyse and properly response to a document and attachments of almost 1,000 pages.

"This is the largest and most complicated wind farm proposal our region has ever seen and so I feel the right decision has been made to extend the period of public comment.

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"I thank the Minister for responding so positively and quickly to my request on behalf of the community."

Mr Marshall said the windfarm proponent had had years to compile its EIS, so it was only "reasonable" to give the community adequate time to respond.

"The extra time will allow locals to respond with better quality submissions and give the Department a much better sense of community views, questions and concerns, which is the whole purpose of the public exhibition period," Mr Marshall said.

The Winterbourne Wind Farm proposes to construct up to 119 turbines of a blade tip height of 230 metres near Walcha.

The community now has until 22 January 2023 to make submissions.

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