Community
Genuine Community Engagement
CWP Renewables is committed to genuine community consultation and developing strong relationships with local landowners and the wider community.
Public consultation for the project commenced in March 2011 during the early stages of planning and feasibility assessment. Consultation with the local community has been underway ever since to inform the public, neighbouring residents, statutory regulators and other stakeholders, and to seek feedback on issues which should be considered during project design.
A Community Consultative Committee (CCC) was established in 2013 to provide a forum for consultation and information sharing between the project and the local community prior to the submission of the Environmental Impact Statement. Consultation with the local community has been ongoing throughout this time, including direct one-on-one contact with community members and neighbours to the project area.
Community Consultative Committee
The purpose of a CCC is to provide a forum for open discussion between representatives of the company, the community, the council and other stakeholders on issues directly relating to the Project’s operations, environmental performance and community relations, and to keep the community informed on these matters.
The Bango Wind Farm CCC was established in 2013. Members include:
- CWP Renewables representatives
- Thomas McGrath, Host landowner
- John McGrath, Host landowner
- Jayne Apps, Community representative
- Andrew Winterflood, Community representative
- Terry Sellwood, Community representative,
- Wendy Tuckerman, Councillor, Hilltops Council
- Geoff Frost, Councillor, Yass Valley Council
- Lisa Andrews, Committee chair
CCC Minutes are available for download:
Community Benefits Fund
A Community Benefits Fund has been established in the form of a Voluntary Planning Agreement with both Yass Valley Council and Hilltops Council.
The Project will contribute $2,825 per turbine installed to these funds each year for every year of operation.
The funds will be split between the two councils according to the number of turbines installed within each local government area. Community groups will have the opportunity to apply for this funding for community enhancement projects. Initiatives will be evaluated based on their relative merits, on their vicinity to the wind farm and on their accordance with council’s Community Plan.
Community Investment Opportunities
CWP Renewables has developed a community investment model for its Sapphire Wind Farm and the Sapphire Solar Farm project. In summary, community members from the region have pledged to invest in the wind project with a guaranteed annual return.
Through the development of Bango Wind Farm we will be assessing the opportunity for a similar scheme.