Community & Business
12 July, 2024
Housing proposed for Bulli Creek Solar Farm project workers
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has received an application to build an 800 room construction camp for non-resident workforce of the Bulli Creek Solar Farm project southwest of Millmerran.
The development will support the housing needs for workers involved in the construction phase of the Bulli Creek Solar Farm project, and is proposed to operate temporarily for a period of 10 years, aligning with the anticipated construction period of the solar farm project.
Additional facilities are to be included such as administration buildings, laundry buildings, kitchen and dining areas, covered decking area and two recreation rooms.
The site is to be accessed via an internal road to Millmerran-Cecil Plains Road with 406 light vehicle car parks and 17 bus parks provided on the southern end of the site.
Landscaping is to be included also with a number of proposed shade trees, shrubs, and other low level planting around the car park area.
The applicant, Genex (Bulli Creek) Pty Ltd stipulated the proposal is appropriate for four reasons:
There is no current ability to accommodate the construction workers of the Bulli Creek Solar Farm project;
It will provide additional temporary accommodation and reduce the demand on existing stock of housing in the region;
Location is idea, within a 30 minute drive to the project, maintaining worker fatigue and shift programs;
Site is on the edge of Millmerran, and will provide economic benefits to the township.
The site is zoned as rural, and the surrounding area is primarily unimproved rural land but it does border the Millmerran Showgrounds and the airstrip.
Despite the total area of the site being 135.4 hectares, the accommodation will occupy only 27.5 hectares.
The Bulli Creek Solar Farm is a multi-stage development project.
Stage one of the project, Bulli Creek Solar, is a large solar development with the capacity of up to 775 megawatt (MW), and is set to become the largest grid connected solar farm in Australia once in operation.
Stage two, Bulli Creek Battery, is currently sized for up to 400MW/1,600MWh (4 hour storage).
A number of other documents were filed including a Stormwater Management Plan, Traffic Management Report, Noise Impact Assessment, and Landscape Plan.
