Research shows the real local community stands against proposed Collector Windfarm 

Independent market research into the proposed Collector Windfarm released today has found community views significantly conflicting with research commissioned in 2010 by the windfarm developers RATCH and Transfield.

Commissioned by the Friends of Collector last month, the StollzNow Market Research report surveyed the local people living in all 238 households within a 10km radius of the proposed windfarm.

The regional study by the developer drew on a sample from up to 50km away – with almost all of the people surveyed living outside Collector in Canberra, Goulburn, Yass, Murrumbateman, Crookwell and other regional centres.

In contrast, 79 per cent of respondents to the StollzNow research live within 5km of the proposed windfarm and are likely to see one of the 68 turbines from their properties.

Applying robust methodology and focusing on all households within 10 km of the proposed development, StollzNow found:

• 81 per cent of residents do not wish for the wind farm to proceed.
• 53 per cent see no benefits for the Collector area, citing negative impacts to property values, landscape (visual), noise as well as health and environmental concerns.
• 21 percent are likely to relocate away from collector and a further 29 per cent are unsure whether they will remain or leave the area
• 52 per cent had been involved in the community consultation process run by the windfarm developer – yet 76 per cent are dissatisfied with the process.

Tony Hogdson, president of the Friends of Collector described the StollzNow survey as ‘the genuine article’ and heartening for local people.

“The RATCH/Transfield survey is deliberately misleading – particularly as the developer is telling the Government that this represents the views of the ‘local community”, he said.

“A RATCH executive has claimed that was why they were coming to Collector – that a majority of the ‘local’ community supported them and wanted them here. Well they are very wrong and this research proves it.

“That tricky stuff might work in Sydney but it sure doesn’t wash here – everyone knows it is the people living in close proximity to the turbines that are genuinely impacted by noise, health and just the visual pollution of these things.

“The research conducted by the developer might suit government bureaucrats in Sydney but how can the views of people in Crookwell and Goulburn be as valid as the views of people living right next to the proposed development?

“It’s like Sydney people being asked questions about a controversial development in Canberra and then claiming it represents the people of Canberra … that is not on.

“This is a big investment by a local community group to commission our own research to prove what the majority of the community knows … that this windfarm if it is ever approved will dramatically change our community [and] the landscape within which we live and impact our daily lives.

“It is really upsetting to know that if this goes ahead we will lose families and friends from the community because the very reasons they have chosen to live in Collector will have been stripped away by the wind farm and the developers”, he said.

Further information – Friends of Collector – Rodd Pahl 0411 607 520, Frank Ross – Collector Books 0403 568 112, Vel Mckeachie 0434 532 716

September 19, 2012

Click here to download the report