Siew Peng Lee
Five wind turbines taller than the Forth Bridge could go up on the edge of
Blairadam Forest.
REG Windpower has applied for an environmental impact assessment for the
110-metre (361ft) turbines at Outh Muir, located between the forest and
Knockhill racing circuit.
The plans include 20 parking spaces, new site entrance and tracks and
control building. The turbines – 30 feet taller than the rail bridge – will
have a capacity of 2.5MW each and a lifespan of 25 years.
A design statement submitted with the application said, “It is acknowledged
that the development would have some effects on the landscape and visual
amenity though these limited impacts are common to wind farms due to the
size and scale of turbines in open countryside locations and should not be
the sole determining factor.
“The Cleish Hills Local Landscape Area would experience localised effects
but the integrity of the designation would generally be maintained.
“The impacts on landscape and visual amenity are limited and not considered
unacceptable and thus comply with the aims of Development Plan policy and
other material considerations.”
Andrew Turner, of local community group Stop Proliferation of Turbines
(Spot) Fife, slammed the application, saying, “The location for this wind
farm is one of a handful of the most protected areas in Fife and, according
to Fife Council policy, is completely unsuited to wind turbine developments
of any type, let alone one of this scale.
“Whilst I recognise that every application has to be reviewed on its
merits, I am very concerned about why a company would invest many tens of
thousands of pounds in undertaking a scoping exercise which has resulted in
the submission of a planning application well over 1000 pages long, if they
did not expect to receive a significant return on that investment and feel
they have a strong chance of success?
“Such a submission shows a distressing disregard for the views of local
residents and Fife Council policies.
“Fife Council issued new guidance on wind energy last month which clearly
deems the site at Outh Muir as having no capacity for wind turbines.
“The guidance states the area should not be developed and should be
afforded significant protection from wind turbines.”
Mr Turner also criticised the community benefit plans offered, saying, “The
developers are offering a community benefit of £62,500 per year but due to
the prominent location of the wind turbines and their visibility over 30
miles, there will be a very large number of organisations that will claim
to have been affected by them.
“For example, community councils at Kelty, Carnock, Saline and Steelend,
Townhill, Cleish and Blairadam, Kinross and Kingseat will all feel that
they should be sharing in this money, which if shared equally would equate
to £3.80 per resident, and much less if community councils in Dunfermline,
whom the policies are particularly in place to protect, feel they should be
included in the share-out.”
0 Comments