Paul John Coulter

A campaign has been launched to have plans for a near 80-metre tall wind
turbine outside a Greenock factory blown off course.

The newly-formed Inverclyde Wind Turbine Monitoring Group are piling
pressure on Texas Instruments to scrap a proposal for the structure outside
its Larkfield Industrial Estate HQ.

Company chiefs have applied for full planning permission for the turbine,
which would measure 77.8 metres in height ­ over 250-feet.

They say it would help to ‘significantly increase’ the amount of ‘greener’
electricity the site uses, and reduce costs.

But protesters are alarmed that the structure would be seen across
Inverclyde, including from beauty spots like Gourock Golf Club, Battery
Park and Lyle Hill, and from across the water.

Illustrations and official documents attached to the application also
confirm that it would be visible from Levan Farm, Trumpethill, Midton and
parts of Braeside and Larkfield.

Campaigners say the turbine will be visible to incoming cruise ship
passengers heading to Ocean Terminal too.

So far, the application has attracted four objections.

Gourock man Ronnie Gormley, from the pressure group, says residents have
serious concerns.

He said: “The application was advertised just before Christmas and we fear
it has slipped under the radar of most people in the district.

“It is likely to be determined around the end of this month, so time is short.

“As you sail into New York you have the wonderful Statue of Liberty. Into
Rio you have the wonderful statue of Christ the Redeemer. Into Cape Town
you have the spectacular Table Mountain.

“Unfortunately as we sail into Greenock it appears we are to be confronted
with beautiful hillsides desecrated by wind turbines.”

But Texas Instruments say the move is a positive one.

A spokeswoman said: “The Greenock site continues to look at ways of
minimising our impact on the environment as well as reducing our costs to
remain competitive.

“The installation of a wind turbine will help us significantly increase the
amount of greener electricity we produce to cover the power needs of this
site.”

But campaigners believe the turbine would produce ‘incessant’ noise and
create a shadow flicker ­ a strobe light effect ­ from the revolving blades.

They say it would be located directly above Moorfoot Primary School.

Mr Gormley said: “It will have a major impact on the landscape setting of
Gourock and Greenock.

“It will dominate the skyline above the town and have a major impact on
thousands of residents, will be seen from as far away as Dunoon and
Kilcreggan and dominate the skyline from Loch Thom, Gourock west and all
the way round to Lyle Hill and the Battery Park.”

A decision on the planning application will be made at a later date.


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