A new group, Riverina Sustainable Food Alliance, has formed in opposition to the growing number of solar farms that members claim are ruining prime agricultural land.

The group has even garnered the support of independent Wagga MP Joe McGirr, who is a vocal proponent of renewable energy.

Dr McGirr said "solar factories", including those earmarked at Mates Gully, Maxwell, North Wagga and Uranquinty, are too often located on arable land.

"[Arable land is] probably something like 5 per cent of Australian land," Dr McGirr said.

"Yet out of that small section of arable land, we are choosing to put solar farms.

"Whereas we have swathes of land where the land isn't quality land for agriculture, which would be much more suited for solar farms."

That notion was backed by Wagga landowner Delyse Kalt, who said arable land was too rare and valuable to be wasted on the construction of solar farms.

The North Wagga solar farm proposed for 59 Hillary Street is causing deep concern for some neighbouring residents, who claim the farm will be just 25 to 35 metres from the closest residence.

Maree and Tim Crowley, a private and peaceful couple, have lived comfortably at their Byrnes Road property for more than 20 years.

Currently, the couple's view from the living room comprises luscious green grass, clear skies and wildlife.

However, with Risen Energy Australia having lodged a development application to build an $8.1 million solar farm nearby, the couple says that view will instead be one of black shiny panels and a two-metre high-security fence.

"It's a residential area, and it's sloping land, which makes it even more inappropriate," Mrs Crowley said.

A spokesperson for Risen Energy denied the claim that the site would be 25 to 35 metres from the closest residence, saying the distance from the photovoltaic modules to the actual house is more than 70 metres.

The statement of environment effects lodged with Wagga City Council maintains the farm will not impact views or result in privacy issues between the adjoining properties.

The application does, however, concede that during the construction phase there may be "increased noise and air quality impacts", but these would be temporary.

Some residents in the vicinity of the proposed 35-hectare project have also expressed their concerns about fire risk due to the limited ability of fire crews to access the site.

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However, the Risen Energy spokesperson was adamant the development posed no fire risk.

The statement of environment effects acknowledges the land has been - and is currently - used for agricultural and grazing operations.

Environmental impacts confirmed in the development application state the construction of the farm will likely result in air pollution, water pollution, noise impacts, excavation and could cause erosion or sediment run-off.

Neighbour and property owner of more than 30 years Liz O'Brien said the solar farm will be an eyesore for those close by.

In response to the claims, a statement provided by Risen Energy said the company was in discussions with Wagga City Council regarding the refinement of the solar array layout and project design to determine how these might better accommodate the management of aesthetic impacts to the surrounding landscape and amenity.

"In reference to the agricultural land, Risen advocates for the continued use of agricultural land and the solar array design provides the capabilities for grazing opportunities and the solar farm to co-exist," the statement said.

"Further discussions would need to be had with the landowner, however, to confirm whether this continued use of agricultural land suitably fulfils the landowners needs."

Borambola residents located near a Mates Gully site which could see Spark Renewables construct a 160-megawatt solar farm, enough it says to power 90,000 NSW homes, have similar concerns.

Pam and Rick Martin have lived in Borambola their entire lives and own a property adjacent to land on which they said a 307-hectare solar farm is being proposed.

Over the years they have worked tirelessly to restore the land's salinity as well as its restoration following a bushfire in 1984 that saw it completely burnt out.

The pair have won several awards for their work, with environmental scientists having even taken interest after they resurrected the land, but with the construction of a solar farm, the couple are concerned their efforts will be ruined.

Mrs Martin said the land proposed for the solar farm is a food bowl, meaning it is high production agricultural land.

She is also concerned about the environment of Coreinbob/Borambola, an important Landcare area that surrounds the site proposed for the solar farm.

Spark Renewables says consultation with the community has been ongoing and the disturbance of native vegetation and species habitat will be avoided wherever possible.

It said strategies would be developed to reduce impacts on the land, and fencing and water infrastructure will allow for the rotation of stock across the site and to maximise productivity.

Documents also state the site would also be made available to other agricultural activities and the land restored at the end of the project.

Mr and Mrs Martin also said the site is prone to flooding and has high hydrology levels, meaning underground water levels and underground water pressure.

The couple has planted more than 60,000 deep-rooted trees to help lower the hydrology across the land by absorbing the water, which has been a 30-year process.

Mrs Martin said the trees that will be pulled out for the construction of the solar farm means hydrology levels will rise again and create a fragile water system, a high groundwater table and a salinity outbreak.

She said when it rains the water will run off the panels and pool in their property, and runoff will also create erosion into the creeks and river system.

"Saline contamination from high groundwater table and contamination from heavy metal leakage from solar panels will get into the food chain locally and downstream," she said.

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