The Victorian Court of Appeal has rejected a bid to stop a wind farm near Hawkesdale in south-west Victoria. 

A group called ‘The People of the Small Town of Hawkesdale Incorporated’ had appealed a Supreme Court's decision last August to dismiss their legal challenge to the extension of the project's planning permit.

The proposal says up to 26 wind turbines with a total output of 97 megawatts would be built up to a height of 180 metres at the facility. 

The residents' group said noise and visual impacts could cause people to move away from the town.

“The soul of our community will be destroyed. It will be the death of our town,” group president John Bos said.

But Supreme Court judges have now determined that the wind farm’s permit condition was valid with no errors, and refused the leave to appeal.

Energy company Global Power Generation (GPG) Australia is building the wind farm around 5 kilometres from the town.

A GPG spokesperson has welcomed the outcome. 

“GPG is pleased with the decision of the Court of Appeal. We will continue to work with the community and stakeholders on this exciting project,” they said.

The decision comes just days after public submissions closed on plans for another, larger wind farm located around 22km north of Port Fairy, in the Moyne Shire. Public hearings on that project will be held in October.