Wind farm to go ahead after residents drop costly battle

Auckland's first wind farm is set to go ahead after residents were told they could not win a legal fight. They have also accepted a cash sweetener and a paddock to "habituate" nervous horses.

The Awhitu Peninsula residents dropped their High Court appeal against the 18-turbine farm, 7km west of Waiuku, on advice from their lawyers.

An Environment Court case that approved the wind farm had cost $200,000, said Awhitu resident Helen Meales.

"This effectively means wind developers can pretty well locate a farm anywhere in New Zealand," she said.

Genesis had said it would pursue costs against residents' groups if the case continued to the High Court.

Residents had also not been able to afford some expert testimony.

"We didn't present a full case and now we will have to live with the consequences."

Genesis spokesman Richard Gordon denied a cash offer over five years for a community trust to pay for tree-planting and erosion control, was a buy-off.

"It's really about funding and support for environmental projects," he said. The Herald understands the offer to be about $300,000.

During the Environment Court hearing, equestrians Mark Todd and Blyth Tait testified that the noise and flashes of sunlight from turning blades on 90m-high turbines would frighten horses at nearby Isola Racing Stables and Isola Equestrian Centre.

Genesis had promised to provide a training paddock near the wind farm where horses could get used to the turning blades, Mr Gordon said.

Mrs Meales said residents felt "painted into a corner" as environmental groups, including Greenpeace and the Government-funded Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, lined up on the side of the company.

"It was an incredibly tough situation for many of us. We felt people took it on as a national issue not a local one with the emphasis on renewable energy," she said.

If the Environment Court ruling had gone against the company, getting consent to build wind farms anywhere along the coast would have become much more difficult, Mr Gordon said.

Blow by blow

* Auckland's first wind farm will be commissioned in late 2007 after residents withdrew their opposition.

* The 18-turbine farm will power around 7500 homes and cost around $20 million.

* The country's largest wind farm (70 turbines) is planned for Makara, near Wellington.