Landowners meet over desal plant pylon plans
Posted
Farmers and landowners in the Cardinia, Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires will meet at Lang Lang today, after they were approached to have pylons on their properties to power the desalination plant at Kilcunda.
Some affected farmers have been told they will not be able to properly irrigate their land or spray for insects, because of the electrical field around the pylons.
The Victorian Government says it is still considering a number of power options for the plant, including pylons, and that landowners will be properly compensated.
Cardinia Shire councillor Doug Hamilton says the pylons will have a huge impact on farmers already struggling with rising costs.
"It's not a question of saying well grow something that doesn't need irrigation or we'll go somewhere else, these people have got enormous financial assets tied up in the land apart from the cost of the land, you just can't pick them up and move them somewhere else," he said.
