Renewable energy

Proponents of wind farms and large-scale solar farms will be required to undertake social impact assessment, evaluating how a project will affect the local community. This includes consideration of workforce management, housing and accommodation, local business and industry procurement, as well as health and community wellbeing and will involve community and stakeholder engagement requirements.

Proponents will be required to enter into an agreement with local government that contains measures and commitments to manage and counterbalance social impacts, as well as enhance community outcomes for a positive legacy.

All development applications for wind farms and large-scale solar farms in Queensland will be subject to impact assessment and assessed by the State Assessment and Referral Agency in Queensland Government. This will require public notification, giving local communities a chance to participate in the development assessment process.

Community members and stakeholders who make properly made submissions during the public notification process will have the right to appeal the final decision, ensuring greater transparency and accountability.

Amendments to the DA Rules propose new alternative public notice requirements for prescribed development requiring social impact assessment to ensure contemporary and practical ways to ensure community awareness, given the large scale of the development sites.

Primarily the changes acknowledge that a public notification sign to be placed on the frontage of a site of a large wind or solar farm development over many hectares is not practical or helpful.