Blog - Submissions

Submissions

Andrew , 18 July 2008

Submissions are open on our wind farm and in fact are due to close on 1 August. We are encouraging people to provide supporting submissions – so what's that about?

Submissions are the formal way in which people can have their say on a development which affects them. Anybody can submit and submissions can support or oppose a development, or conditionally support or oppose (eg we support you if you do this – or, we oppose you unless you do that).

Often the only people that feel motivated enough to submit are those that are adversely affected, so in many cases the submissions are in opposition. These are still valuable points of view as it can help us shape our proposal to address some valid concerns but it can all seem a very negative process.

But, what if you are positively affected? What if you want the project to go ahead? We also want to hear your view and it will really help us know what the community, as a whole, is feeling. Certainly in our discussions around the area we have found a lot of support out there and we would really like to see that support shown to the hearing commissioners.

After all, wind power is the generation option of choice for most New Zealanders as shown in two recent surveys commissioned by NZBCSD with 77% support and EECA with 88% support (note that you have to download the PDF and read the through the results in the EECA survey because the press release talks mostly about marine energy)

So this is about hearing from the 'silent majority' we think many of you are on our side, so please get a submission in before 1 August.

We have submission forms available here, some ideas on what you might say here, and a prefilled form here.

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Comments

This is so awesome to see. Do you have to live in the district to make a submission in support?

Posted by clare & jon, 27/07/2008 12:49am (2 years ago)
Hi Clare and Jon

No need to live in the district to put up a submission either way. Anyone who considers themselves affected is able to submit and there is nothing which defines what might be an effect.

For a non-resident it may be that you are concerned about a) water in the hydro lakes (or lack of it), b) climate change. In which case any wind farm will have a positive effect on you.

I have never heard of any international submissions to resource consents...but I'm willing to give it a try.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Andrew

Posted by Andrew Hurley, 28/07/2008 10:08am (2 years ago)