By Jeremy Sollars
One Nation Maranoa candidate Rosemary Moulden and the party’s Queensland Senate candidate Malcolm Roberts will meet with Sladevale and Mount Tabor residents this Saturday 2 March to discuss the University of Queensland solar farm planned for the Sladevale valley north of Warwick.
The candidates will be at Derain Drive between 5pm and 7pm.
The latest community update on the solar farm issued by the University of Queensland (UQ) says local residents will notice activity increasing on the site soon, initially with installation of fencing and site offices by lead contractor Lendlease.
“Core construction work is expected to begin by early April,” the update states.
“Factors such as weather can have a significant impact on scheduling.
“A range of measures have been put in place to minimise disruption for nearby residents.
“This will include sensitive scheduling of activities requiring heavy vehicles and other machinery, and the use of water trucks to supress dust.
“Work on site will typically take place between the hours of 7am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
“Low impact activities not involving the use of heavy machinery, such as electrical installation and commissioning, may occur on Sundays but will be avoided as far as possible.
“Delivery of materials to the site will only occur Monday to Friday and no works will be undertaken at night.
“Work to plant 30,000 trees and shrubs to create more than five kilometres of screening around the site is due to begin in April, weather permitting.
The trees, including the Flindersia australis (Crows Ash) are now growing at a specialist native plant nursery.
“Any irrigation on the site will use treated recycled water.”
The Free Times has asked both the Southern Downs Regional Council and UQ to comment on how and from where recycled water for the site would be sourced.
UQ says its ‘Sustainability website’ will be kept up to date with information as the project progresses at www.sustainability.uq.edu.au/ warwick-solar-farm
Lendlease can be contacted directly regarding construction-related matters via the project hotline 1800 717 383 or by email warwicksolarfarm@lendlease.com.
For general enquiries, email warwicksolar@uq.edu.au
Construction schedule…
• Installation of site offices and fencing: Feb – Mar
• Clearing and minor earthworks: Feb – Apr
• Planting of vegetation screening: Mar – Apr
• Perimeter and internal roads: Apr – May
• Upgrade to Freestone Rd and Robinson Rd intersection: Apr – May
• Installation of support structures: Apr – Jul
• Solar panel installation: Jun – Sept
• Inverter installation: Jun – Sept
• Connection works (including power lines)* Jun – Aug (subject to permits)
