Source: Genex Power
The long-since approved plans to develop the first phase of an up to 2 gigawatt solar and battery energy park southwest of Toowoomba in Queensland have hit a new roadblock, following a legal challenge to plans to house hundreds of workers needed to build the huge project.
Local papers on Tuesday report that an appeal has been lodged with the Queensland Planning and Environment Court, challenging the Toowoomba Regional Council’s decision to approve an 800-person work camp for the 775 megawatt (MW) Bulli Creek Solar project, stage 1 (BCS-1).
The huge project – now owned by Genex Power, which is in turn owned by Japan’s J Power – has been in the development pipeline for more than 10 years, having secured local government development approval back in 2015. It was waved through the federal EPBC queue in 2017.
Construction of the 775 MW BCS-1 had been due to start this year, after an offtake deal was secured last year with Stanwell Corporation for 550MW of its solar generating capacity. According to the project website, a final investment decision is expected by late 2025.
To house the workers for the project, the Toowoomba council last month approved plans for a work camp, capable of holding 800 people, to be built on the edge of the town of Millmerran.
But these plans are now in limbo with the news that Doug Hall Poultry – noted in the solar farm’s EPBC referral as prominent Millmerran business and major employer for region – has appealed the council’s approval of the accommodation facility.
In a statement emailed to Renew Economy, DA Hall said the appeal reflects concerns about the lack of transparency, accountability, and long-term planning around the work camp and its impact on the local community.
“We want to be clear. We do not oppose the need for the project or key infrastructure to support future renewable projects,” the company said on Tuesday.
“What we do oppose is the way this particular proposal has been brought forward – without sufficient safeguards for our town and its people.”
The poultry farm says concerns outlined in the appeal include inadequate assessment of social impacts, during both the construction phase and post-decommissioning, and community safety risks from a large influx of non-resident workers.
The company is also concerned about the lack of legally binding commitments around delivery of promised community contributions, which it says currently rely on internal project milestones rather than fixed obligations.
Further concerns are around a lack of focus on local content, insufficient traffic and road impact assessments, and flawed assumptions and a lack of consideration for commuting workers outside the camp.
“We believe Council’s current conditions do not go far enough to protect our community or secure the positive outcomes promised,” the statement says.
The legal challenge marks just one in a number of hurdles that have hampered the progress of the Bulli Creek Energy Park, which has also changed hands a number of times, from First Solar to Solar Choice, to Genex in partnership with Japan’s Electric Power Development (J Power).
Iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest was also in the mix at one stage, with his company Fortescue Metals signing up to take 337 MW of output from Bulli Creek solar for its now abandoned Gibson Island green hydrogen project.
The Gibson Island PPA started to look shaky in early 2024, when Fortescue Metals missed a second deadline for reaching financial close on the green hydrogen plant, and Genex started talking to other potential off-takers – eventually signing up the government-owned Stanwell Corp.
According to referral documents in the federal government’s EPBC portal, developers undertook a “proactive engagement” campaign with neighbours and “no objections were lodged by any member of the public during the planning approval process with Tooowoomba Regional Council.”
In a statement emailed to Renew Economy on Wednesday, Genex said it has engaged “extensively” with the Millmerran community on the workers’ camp, over a period of more than 18 months.
“As part of this process, a social impact assessment was undertaken alongside the development application,” the statement says.
“The assessment, supported by community consultation, found that a dedicated workers’ camp would help minimise unintended social impacts associated with a large construction workforce.
“Genex has also agreed and publicly committed to a package of community benefits valued at approximately $7 million. This includes household energy rebates, investment in local education and infrastructure, and support for local healthcare services.
“Genex remains committed to the delivery of the Bulli Creek stage one solar project and is confident in the integrity of the development approval process,” the statement says.
“Genex continues to work closely with all stakeholders, including the Millmerran community, throughout this period.”
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