General News
12 November, 2025
What’s the rush when information is scarce?
Tara Hammett for Loddon Valley Renewables Awareness Group writes to the editor about the real lack of concern and care by renewable developers for community.
Sir, Yet another example was thrust before us this week in the real lack of concern and care by renewable developers for community.
All three (renewable energy) proponents now to be found in the Pyramid Hill area have talked the big talk about “caring for community”.
However, actions speak louder than words.
European Energy has been repeatedly told, by the Loddon Valley Renewables Group committee and by neighbours who have thus far been met with, that holding a community event was not likely to garner large numbers if held during harvest, Christmas and school holiday periods.
We have told them that the best and earliest time to hold community meetings would be late February into March.
Representatives of the companies have promised to take this into account in their plans.
Last week, European Energy advertised, in this paper that the first community meetings are to be held on November 12 and 13 and then early next year. What is the hurry European Energy?
For two years European Energy have been in this area, holding secret meetings with potential hosts.
Very little to no information has been available to neighbours and the general community until now.
But suddenly, it is so important to engage with community, that it can’t wait three months, in a process we are told will take up to four years to get to shovel ready stage.
For such a large project, with such vast implications for our small community, it would make more sense to spend more time, be less hurried in developing community relationships.
To the developers, European Energy, Atmos Renewables and Potentia, Loddon Valley Renewable Awareness Group urge that you walk the talk. If you want to claim you have a social licence to operate here, we need to see more than lip service.
Tara Hammett
For Loddon Valley Renewables Awareness Group