05/09/2025

We are pleased to provide the latest project updates below to communicate how feedback from the community to-date is influencing the project development. Members of the project team would be happy to make themselves available to discuss any of the below upon request either in-person or by phone.

Project name: In response to community feedback the project will no longer be referred to as ‘Avenue Road BESS’. The project name has been changed to ‘Belah BESS’ from this time on.

Traffic: The findings of the traffic impact assessment identified that using State Roads during the construction period is preferred. Therefore, the majority of project related traffic during construction will access via the Kogan Condamine Road and Chinchilla Tara Road. Traffic on Avenue Road and other surrounding Council roads as such will be limited.

Noise: Noise modelling has been undertaken and confirmed that the site design will comply with State Government requirments (State Code 26).

Bushfire: The project team have been engaging closely with the area commanders of the RFS and Fire & Rescue Service and have commissioned a bushfire hazard report by a specialist bushfire consultant. A full fire safety plan, managed bushfire management zones and fire suppression systems will be implemented as part of the ongoing project development.

Location & land use: The BESS has been located a minimum of 2km away from the nearest dwelling and cannot be seen from any private properties or public roads. The BESS will make use of approx. 2% of the host property’s land, with existing agricultural operations able to continue along side.

Ecology: The BESS is situated in an open paddock which has traditionally been used for cattle grazing. Limited clearing of lower-value remnant vegetation will be required for the electrical connection to the Orana substation. The project has opted for an underground connection to minimise disturbance to vegetation and has been designed based on the outcomes of ecological surveys,

Community Benefits: The project intends to establish a community benefit fund. This is to ensure that the community which lives closest to the BESS share the benefits and we welcome feedback and input into how the funds are best allocated.