The public meeting, being held at the Wellington Soldiers Club from 3pm, is expected to be heated and long.

The chairman of the commission meeting Ms Gabrielle Kibble AO will open the event followed by Wellington Council, Mid Western Regional Council, the Bodongora Wind Turbine Awareness Group and Central New South Wales Renewable Energy Co-Operative Ltd. 

“The purpose of this meeting is to hear views on the Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s recommendation to approve the proposal subject to conditions, before the commission makes a decision on the application,” the NSW Planning Assessment Commission said. A mix of speakers include those for and against with a number of locals, including those who will have wind turbines on their properties and those who have not and are against the proposed Bodangora site. The meeting is expected to hear impassioned pleas from those concerned about health, visual and sound impacts on their homes and families.

The Bodangora project has deeply divided many neighbouring families creating animosity.

The senior development manager for the windfarm Frank Boland says Infigen Energy has worked hard to meet planning requirements. 

“The assessment criteria used by the department are regarded as some of the toughest in the world and the residents of the Bodangora region should be comforted by the fact that the Bodangora wind farm has complied with these stringent criteria,” he said.

The Bodangora Wind Turbine Awareness Group, who submitted a motion to last week’s NSW Farmers conference, believe this is a great chance for locals to air their stories.

‘“Landowners can speak out. It’s the first time we can hear people’s stories,” Lyn Jarvis a member of the group told the Western Magazine. Mr Boland will also talk about business benefits before the Wellington Business chamber at the Cow and Calf hotel tonight.

“During the construction period the wind farm will employ approximately 100 workers, many of which will be sourced from local businesses and contractors,” he said.