Hearing into wind farm next month

A wind turbine on the Ruahine ranges.

Three independent commissioners will be appointed to decide on the proposed wind farm near Waverley.

Hearings are due to start on May 22 and will take about a week.

South Taranaki District Council planning manager Blair Sutherland said he hoped the commissioners will "be finalised very soon."

One has been confirmed and two more are sought.

He said he doubted they would be local.

"It's doubtful we would engage a local. They wouldn't have the expertise needed to decide on wind farming activities."

The hearing will be in Hawera.

Trustpower plans to spend $325 million to build a 48-turbine wind farm on coastal land six kilometres southeast of Patea and seven kilometres southwest of Waverley.

The application for resource consent to build the wind farm attracted 24 submissions, most of them against the proposal.

The farm is planned to cover 980 hectares.

It has the support of The Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation, Sustainable Whanganui, the New Zealand Wind Energy Association and Wind Farm Developments, which said using wind to generate electricity cut down on climate-changing carbon emissions.

Those opposed included the Conservation Department and Fish & Game.

Cultural impact assessments have been done for Nga Rauru and Ngati Ruanui and, as a result of submissions, more information relating to noise and visual effects was requested.