Media Release - Mount Fox Battery Energy Storage System Approved

Following a detailed assessment of a development application for the proposed Battery Energy Storage System fronting Knuckledown Road in Mount Fox, approval has been granted.

A full assessment of the impacts of the proposed development and how they relate to the planning scheme and state planning requirements was prepared by Council Officers. This was independently reviewed by a nationally recognised company with expertise in assessing renewable energy facilities. The assessment determined that the development complies with the assessment benchmarks and considerations of matters raised in relation to submissions from the public, as they relate to those benchmarks.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mary-Anne Uren, recognised that the community’s sentiment towards the project is not favourable, but that the decision to be made is bounded by the matters set out in legislation.

“We acknowledge that the community has had a very strong voice in opposition to the development. Environmental, hazards, traffic and local amenity concerns were raised in submissions and have all been considered carefully. Assessing how the development is to operate and the impacts that it will create was undertaken, along with how impacts are being managed or mitigated by the proponent. This assessment is bounded to matters which Council must consider within the Planning Act 2016, which is about the project’s compliance with the planning outcomes set out in the Planning Scheme and State Policies” said CEO Mary-Anne.

“The decision has been made to approve the development with conditions which relate to environmental controls, bushfire hazard management, traffic management, rehabilitation, along with operational and construction management, monitoring and reporting, among others.”

“The Applicant and Submitters have the rights to appeal Council’s decision in due course.”

The decision was made under delegated authority, which was granted to Ms Uren as a result of the failure to achieve a quorum due to conflicts of interest being raised by Councillors at Council’s General Meeting held on Tuesday 25 June 2024.