Final approval for the project lies with the Joint Regional Planning Panel Southern Region Committee, once it has been assessed and passed on by council.

South Australian renewable energy company Epuron lodged the DA with council for the $20 million, seven turbine wind farm in August 2011, the first step in a seven tier decision making process.

Epuron publicly exhibited the project in 2011, attracting 73 objections and 19 letters of support, and released a submissions report in March this year.

Construction manager Andrew Wilson said the company had received further queries following the release of the submission report.

“Some of government agencies then commented on that submission report so Epuron has provided further details on that report (to Bega Valley Shire Council),” he said.

Council’s manager for Planning Services Keith Tull said the additional information has been forwarded to the various State Government agencies for comment and he expected a response within the next fortnight.

“If there are no further matters requiring clarification it is anticipated that the draft report would take four to six  weeks to finalise,” he said.

Only then, will it be passed to the JRPP.

In the meantime Epuron continues to gather wind data from the site and compare it to reference points at Greencape and Merimbula.

“Readings are still in line with our expectations,” he said.

“We need to collect about a year of data and we have six months worth.”

Council was unavailable for comment.