Solar panels will be nearly one metre taller and power poles will increase by 15 metres at the Walla Walla Solar Farm.
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Developer FRV Services Australia has applied for the modifications to their 300 megawatt farm given approval in November, 2020.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is accepting submissions on the changes until October 7 before approving or denying the request.
New pole heights, rising to match existing transmission infrastructure, are due to TransGrid's design of the substation.
Solar panels increasing from 4 metres to 4.85 metres is due to "optimise both the construction and operational performance of the solar farm".
While the application states the change will cause "barely discernible increase in visibility", it's not much solace to the owners of a home just 80 metres from the project site and 210 metres from panels.
Cameron Schultz's farm off Benambra Road has two properties; one is rented and faces the Walla project, the other is more elevated and will view both Walla and Culcairn developments.
"It's frustrating; all of a sudden, they raise the bar again," Mr Schultz said.
"This whole farm is going to be surrounded, and then you hear rumours they're looking at putting another one on the other side of Culcairn.
"We're going to be looking at a six foot chain mesh fence ... if you want to buy property next to an airport, you know it's going to be there.
"There's not much more you can do; they keep saying, 'That's where the power lines are, so that's where we've got to build them'.
"They've never stood here and looked at the elevation."
Mr Schultz feels the concerns of residents were not validated by the Independent Planning Commission which approved three projects in the area.
"Nothing came from it - it was a school debate basically," he said.
"Our family has farmed here since 1913 and never, ever had a complete failure due to drought.
"I harvested a three-tonne canola crop down there previously - it's no different to any of the other land around here."
Mr Schultz said the lengthy documents to sift through and division in the community had worn him and his wife Bianca down.
"You hear arguments like, 'the neighbours are angry they didn't get offered it' - that's not the point," he said.
"The point is that it changes what we've got, from all of them.
"It's going to provide jobs and whatever else, but they're all short term.
"The land is no longer available to farm. You lose the input costs from the crop, from the ag and vet to fuel companies ... and that doesn't count in the guy that carts the grain away.
"It's heartbreaking in a lot of ways, that they can do it.
"You beat yourself up over it, and you have to press on with what you're doing."
The modifications at Walla will result in "minor additional traffic" with Greater Hume Council raising concern about proposed use of unsealed sections of Benambra Road.
Existing conditions of consent mean FRV must maintain the road during construction.
It is estimated that construction of the substation would result in a maximum of 10 heavy vehicles per day using Benambra Road (west of Weeamera Road) and the dedicated substation site access.
System and asset planning by TransGrid has resulted in scheduling of the substation installation by TransGrid for early 2022, ahead of construction for the remainder of the Walla Walla Solar Farm by FRV.
FRV stated a security fence and panels would be behind a to-be-planted 50 metre wide vegetation buffer.
- Most of the site is currently used for grazing, as it is not suitable for cropping.
- Grazing of livestock will continue on the site once the solar farm is established in keeping with neighbours' and the region's focus on producing food and fibre.
- FRV has listened to feedback from the community, and have made more refinements to this project than any other project that we have delivered to date. Principally these changes have been to improve visual aesthetics and respond to community and neighbour interests.
- Changes include the return of approximately 90 ha of cropping land - that were to be solar panels - to farming. This area will now continue to be used for canola production in the southeast of the site.
