Uralla Shire Council has adopted a Renewable Energy Strategic Action Plan to guide its advocacy, planning and preparedness as renewable energy development accelerates across the region.
The plan follows a year-long community engagement process and public exhibition, during which the council received 16 written submissions and one verbal submission from residents, landholders, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders.
Feedback from the exhibition resulted in several changes, including factual corrections, clearer implementation priorities, additional actions and renaming the document the Renewable Energy Strategic Action Plan.
Mayor Robert Bell said community participation had been critical to strengthening the final plan.
“I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to make a submission. The feedback we received was thoughtful, detailed and demonstrated just how important these issues are to our community.”
Bell said the exhibition process had helped ensure the final plan reflected community priorities and concerns.
“The Strategic Action Plan has been strengthened as a direct result of public feedback. Community members highlighted areas where clarification was needed, identified factual corrections and reinforced key issues that Council must continue to advocate for.”
Water security was the most consistently raised issue during consultation, alongside concerns about housing, road impacts, community wellbeing, workforce pressures, agricultural land, biodiversity and the cumulative impacts of large-scale renewable energy development.
Bell said the adopted plan provided the council with a clear, community-informed framework for responding to those challenges.
“This Plan is not about deciding whether renewable energy projects proceed. Those decisions sit with the NSW Government. What this Plan does is give Council a clear roadmap for advocating on behalf of our community and ensuring local concerns are heard.
“Our focus remains on avoiding, minimising and mitigating adverse impacts while pursuing fair and equitable benefits for the people of Uralla Shire.”
The plan was developed in partnership with The Next Economy through the national Striking a New Deal initiative and builds on community engagement undertaken throughout 2024 and 2025.
Bell said the final document positioned the council to better manage the opportunities and challenges associated with the New England Renewable Energy Zone.
“Significant change is coming to our region. This Plan will help Council work proactively with government, industry and the community so that local priorities remain front and centre throughout that process.”
The council will now begin implementing the Strategic Action Plan through its existing advocacy, strategic planning and partnership activities, with progress to be monitored through its established planning and reporting framework.
The council will also notify all submitters of its decision and respond to the issues they raised during the public exhibition period.
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