Solar project on the table

Harvey Shire Council will tonight vote on the first step towards a $150 million solar farm in Benger.

South Energy Campbell Development have lodged an Application for Development Approval for a renewable energy facility at Lot 0, Campbell Road, Benger.

At a development services committee meeting last Tuesday, the council agreed it would consider the site listed on the proposal for the Benger Solar Farm by South Energy.

The 179ha property has historically been used for grazing livestock and is located outside of the Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment policy area.

The site is proposed to accommodate approximately 265,200 solar photovoltaic modules, along with a designated substation, operation and maintenance area, control building, substation transformers, carpark and office.

At full capacity the Benger Solar Farm could power the equivalent of approximately 35,000 homes and is projected to operate for up to 30 years.

Harvey shire president Tania Jackson said an absolute majority vote would be required to formally agree to the site.

Given the size of the project, any further proposals would first go to a Joint Development Assessment Panel for consideration.

She said the solar farm would allow seasonal grazing of livestock underneath the panels on the land which had been deemed to have low soil quality.