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Herald Sun Article

VICTORIA - AUSTRALIA

Blot on the landscape
Danny Buttler
environment reporter
21feb04

WIND farm developments could wipe millions of dollars from Victoria's coastal property market.

Real estate agents have claimed house prices near existing wind turbines have been slashed by up to 30 per cent.

And seaside homes that have their views obscured by the 100m tall turbines could face even greater devaluation.

Wind farms are planned for several areas on the Victorian coast, including developments near Portland, Warrnambool, Cape Liptrap, Welshpool, Queenscliff and Foster.

If the State Government approves all current proposals, more than 300 turbines could be built within sight of the coast.

Worries about noise pollution and obscured views have seen land holders within 2km of the existing Toora wind farm in South Gippsland struggle to sell their properties. Those who can find buyers have been forced to sell well below the pre-wind farm market price.

Bruce Richards, managing director of PBE Real Estate in South Gippsland, said Victoria's property boom was going backwards in the shadow of the giant turbines.

He said selling homes within 2km of Toora's 12 wind turbines was becoming increasingly hard.

"Anywhere close to the towers is very, very difficult to sell," he said.

Apart from complaints about noise, glare from the rotating blades was a major turn-off for prospective buyers.

"I showed some people a block three months ago and the flicker was as bad as the noise, if not worse . . . it would just drive you crazy," he said.

Proposed developments closer to the South Gippsland coast could see an even greater fall in prices if the giant towers obscured sea views.

Mr Richards said a planned wind farm near Cape Liptrap would have a devastating effect on land values, which are based on the spectacular coastal and rural scenery.

"Mate, that would just ruin it, you drive along Liptrap road and it's just fantastic, if you put these bloody windmills up who knows what it's going to do," he said.

"Cape Liptrap properties are prime, you're looking at more than 25 to 30 per cent there."

"If they go around the whole coast it will just ruin it . . . people come here for its beauty."

South Gippsland Shire mayor David Lewis said rate valuations had decreased on some properties near turbines, but could not confirm if it was just due to wind farms.

But there was no doubt they had had depressed the immediate property market. "My personal belief is that it does destroy property values," he said.

The Australian Wind Energy Association said it would like to see hard evidence of changes to property values, but admitted no research had been done in Australia.

Stanwell Corporation, which owns the Toora wind farm said it was unable to comment on property values because of insufficient data.