The Cimitiere Plains Solar Farm proposal is within the George Town Municipal Area and therefore subject to the George Town Local Provision Schedule and State Planning Provisions (SPP).

 

The solar farm is within the Agriculture Zone. Facilities for electricity generation (a solar farm) and facilities for transmitting power are defined as Utilities. Utilities in the Agriculture Zone are a Discretionary Use or Development. The primary purpose of the Agriculture Zone is to provide for the use or development of land for agricultural use. Sheep grazing will be able to continue within the solar farm when the project is operational. While there has been limited research on the impacts of solar farms on agricultural productivity, it is expected that the percentage reduction in productivity will range from 0 to 30% (that is, at least 70% of productivity will be maintained).

 

The transmission line and associated access tracks traverse the following planning zones:

• Agriculture

• Rural

• General Industrial

• Utilities, and

• Open Space.

 

Transmission lines with a voltage of 110 kV or lower are deemed to be Minor Utilities. A Minor Utility in the Agriculture Zone, Rural Zone, Utilities Zone, General Industrial Zone and Open Space Zone is classified as No Permit Required Use or Development. However, the transmission line does not comply with each applicable standard and the planning envelope is subject to codes and therefore a planning permit is required.

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As a discretionary project under the Tasmanian planning system, the project has applied to obtain a planning permit from George Town Council. There is a six stage process to be followed - the application is currently in the Advertising Period. The application documents on public exhibition can be found here.

 

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