Local resident opposed to wind farm 'nimbyism'

Wind farm projects in Canterbury have exerted a polarising influence in recent times.

Local tourism operator John Carr hit headlines last week with a letter-writing campaign against Meridian’s Project Hurunui and other wind farm projects in the region. In the letters, sent out to 800 local residents, Mr Carr lists his opposition based on issues of landscape, noise, and loss of property and recreational value.

He compares the Meridian proposal to a "large corporate hostile take over of our community."

Other locals take a different view.

Ben Kepes, an entrepreneur and technology analyst, lives directly opposite Mainpower’s proposed Mt Cass project, and has lived in the area for about 15 years.

He arguably has the “best view” of the Mt Cass site yet told NBR that he has no problem with the Mt Cass project or with wind farms in general.

“We have an increased electricity demand in this country, we have a strained resource situation and we’ve got a difficult regulatory framework. It’s a no brainer – we need renewable energy,” he said.

“Wind farms are a net positive economically, environmentally and visually and send a good message to the world about New Zealand's clean-green credentials.”

Mr Kepes said  he had no commercial interest in any company with a wind farm proposal, apart from being a Mainpower electricity customer, along with many other Canterbury residents.

He felt that it was hypocritical for residents with expectations of a secure and reliable electricity supply to decry any prospect of electricity generation in their area.

“People just don’t want [wind farms] in their backyard,” he said, which meant there was no way for power companies to mitigate concerns.

“It’s nimbyism pure and simple.”

Mainpower’s revised consent application for Mt Cass project, currently before the Environment Court, will see the construction of turbines up to 130m in height along the Mt Cass ridge 6km east of Waipara.

The Meridian proposal, located on a ridge close to the Mt Cass site, is for 33 turbines with a maximum height of 130.5m. A formal application to the Hurunui District Council is expected shortly.

TrustPower also has monitoring masts in the region.