Property Values

Wind farm developers want to deny it, but studies have shown that, while the properties that host wind-towers increase in value, those surrounding the wind-plant decrease by as much as one third.

When wind farm developers move into an area, the land holder who owns the land on which the wind turbines are located reap financial gain through annual payments of between $5,000 and $15,000 per turbine. Meanwhile, people unfortunate enough to own adjoining or nearby properties get no payment, no compensation for the disruption, noise, visual pollution, loss of amenity and property value they suffer.

Another disturbing practice is that wind farm developers sign up property owners to confidential deals to host wind turbines before their neighbours even know that a wind farm is being proposed in the area (An ill wind blowing, The Good Weekend Magazine, 4 September 2004).

Toora, South Gippsland

Stanwell Corporation constructed a 12 turbine wind farm at Toora in South Gippsland. Local residents, Kath and Terry Hurst were told by Stanwell that they would not be disturbed by the wind farm. Stanwell built two 50m turbines 750m and 810 m from the Hurst's house.

"It was terrible, we had trouble sleeping and the worst part was we decided to move and it took 18 months to sell the place", Mr Hurst said (Residents rail against the wind, Courier-Mail, 4 October, 2004).

Mr Hurst said that while the local property market was booming, they lost money selling their house. A rates notice issued after the wind farm was built showed that the property dropped in value (How a dream was blown away, The Age, 5 May 2003).

Bruce Richards, managing director of PBE Real Estate in South Gippsland, said that it was nearly impossible to sell a property within one kilometre of a wind turbine or a proposed wind turbine. (Residents rail against the wind, Courier-Mail, 4 October, 2004).

The Hursts wrote to Stanwell Corporation in 2003 asking for compensation for the mental, physical and financial trauma they received as a result of the Toora wind farm being constructed next to their home. They received no reply from Stanwell (Residents rail against the wind, Courier-Mail, 4 October, 2004).

Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland

Jim and Dot Newman, live on a 106 ha dairy farm at Windy Hill in on the Atherton Tableland. Since Stanwell Corporation built a 20 turbine wind farm across the road from the Newmans in 2000, they say they have to turn up their air conditioner and shut the windows and doors just to sleep at night.

Mrs Newman said that the throbbing, thumping noise from the generaors could be heard at all hours of the day. Within 12 months, the Newmans had had enough and decided to move but by October 2004, had still not found a buyer. (Residents rail against the wind, Courier-Mail, 4 October, 2004).

New South Wales

A wind farm proposed for Taralga, near Goulburn is already affecting property values.

Goulburn real estate agent, Graeme Welsh, said his experience was that properties within view of the proposed wind farm at Taralga were hard to sell (Anger rides the wind, The Land, 19 May 2005).

"We get a lot of people from Sydney wanting to buy hobby farms or retirement blocks around Taralga and Crookwell", he said. "A majority have told us they're not interested in looking at anything near an existing or proposed wind turbine. They're coming out here to get away from man-made structures." (Squalls of dissent ruffle the wind harvesters, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 June 2005).

Social justice?

The people who live in the areas around the proposed wind-plant are ordinary families who have chosen a rural lifestyle. The land around the proposed wind-plant was zoned rural residential by local government many years ago. We have bought and improved our properties in the expectation that we could enjoy a rural lifestyle.

We've moved to this area for the peace and quite and to enjoy the rural views. Some of us run farming businesses so our properties are both workplace and home. We are prepared to forego local access to shops, doctors, and entertainment, town water, and other town services to live a rural lifestyle. It is not cheap, it is not cushy, but it is worth it to us - we love where we live.

The wind farm will impact on the very things that make this lifestyle desirable – the peace and quite, and rural views. Experience in other parts of Australia indicates that our homes may be unsellable. Certainly, the very things that attracted us to Burra, Carwoola and surrounding areas will be gone.

Why should individual households be expected to "cop it sweet", suffer financial disadvantage and give up the things we value so that EHN and one landholder (who owns the land where the wind-plant is to be built) can make a profit? Where is the social justice in that arrangement?

Last Updated: 20 November, 2005