If the wind farm proceeds, the first benefit it provides to the local community is sustainable economic development, meaning more business and employment opportunities for local people. It also will bring more people to live in the local area, which delivers multiple benefits. It helps to make schools, sporting and other community groups to remain viable and to grow. Finally, a wind farm will provide direct financial support to those aspects of community development that make sense.
Over the last 50+ years, most towns in the Wheatbelt region have suffered a real decline in population, which has meant diminished opportunities to participate in all the wonderful things that communities offer – from socialising, jobs, businesses, shopping, sport, church and all manner of other community groups and activities.
In fact, many towns that were critical to the development of the Wheatbelt, have now disappeared entirely, save for the wheat bin and a sign suggesting a community that once was. Without wind farms, it is difficult to see what other economic development can deliver the impact necessary to arrest the decline of the overall population of the Wheatbelt.
The Wheatbelt was a critical driver behind the development of both our State and our Nation. It has been Australia’s constant economic and social base overt the past 200 years, while mining and other economic developments have come in waves.
However, not everyone agrees that farming is such a good land use, because it has significantly impacted the ecology of the Wheatbelt.
This is the reality of major economic development – while it brings overwhelming advantages, it also comes with some downside implications. It is the same with wind farms. While many people are unaffected or are happy to see wind turbines dotting the landscape, some people find them unsightly.
Either way, the windfarms will begin to reverse its declining economic and social fortunes. They will also bring welcome income to farmers, regardless of the weather.
Windfarms are also entirely consistent with farming, because farmers have used windmills for hundreds of years to provide power for their pumps. With solar power now driving most pumps across the Wheatbelt, wind turbines are now evolving to become the replacement windmills in the region.
With any large scale economic development, the upside doesn’t come without some issues. The issues that are easy to predict are usually managed well and don’t create any major concern.
However, some issues that arise are difficult to predict and can cause conflict. For example, the wind farm might purchase a huge stock of equipment locally to deal with an emergency, leaving local suppliers unable to restock to meet requirements of local people. If you are the local person who can’t purchase a tool that you need from your local, regular supplier, it can be extremely frustrating and feel like your needs have been overtaken by the wind farm.
When situations like this arise, Zeff will be ready and willing to work with you to find a solution to the problem.
We spend considerable resources planning any development before it happens to prevent any foreseeable impacts to the local community, wherever possible. We have overseen many major, multi-billion dollar projects in Western Australia and know that proper planning is the best protection against local community issues.
If issues do arise, we commit to being there on the ground to assist and, ideally, resolve the problem with you. That is our commitment and we stand by it.
