The Victorian Government is amending planning laws to protect a wind farm from legal challenges. 

The State Significant Golden Plains wind farm would be one of Australia’s largest, proposing to install up to 1300MW of wind generation capacity and a big battery near Rokewood, around 60km north-west of Geelong.

The project has secured all required state government approvals and has gained strong support from the local Rokewood community, but has been dogged by legal challenges. 

The company behind the Golden Plains project, WestWind Energy, recently submitted an amendment to its plans to allow for bigger, higher powered turbines that were developed while the project was stalled by legal challenges, 

In November 2021, Victoria’s planning minister, Richard Wynne, approved the new plan. However, the amended planning permit is now the subject of a further legal challenge by the same group that failed to have their case against the earlier version of the plan heard in the High Court of Australia, having already been defeated in the Victorian Supreme Court.

“This latest legal challenge will further delay the project and this amendment is required to allow this significant renewable energy project to progress,” the state’s planning department has stated in an official Explanatory Report (PDF).

“The amendment will provide for the fair, orderly, economic and sustainable use and development of the land by facilitating the use and development of the Golden Plains Wind Farm in an expedient manner ensuring that the benefits of the project are realised in the short term.

“The project will contribute to the Victorian government’s renewable energy transition and contribute to the state achieving its net zero emissions target for 2050, whilst also providing the economic benefits of jobs both in the construction and operation of the facility,” it says.

The groups seeking to fight the wind farm plans in court say they intend to challenge the amendment.