Controversial plans have been unveiled for a wind farm on a beauty spot
overlooking the Clyde.
Greenock-based 2020 Renewables has submitted its detailed planning
application for Inverclyde Wind Farm, near Corlic Hill, Greenock.
The company is proposing to construct a 10-turbine wind farm with an
installed capacity of up to 30 MW.
A similar scheme for a larger wind farm in the area was thrown out after a
public inquiry in 2005. If councillors give the scheme the green light, the
firm says it would produce enough clean energy to power 18,500 homes and
cut carbon emissions by 34,000 tonnes.
2020 Renewables says the plan follows an “extensive programme of community
engagement” which has involved public exhibitions in Port Glasgow, Greenock
and Kilmacolm, as well as presentations to community groups across Inverclyde.
It also promises that local groups could see an annual “community benefit”
of up to £150,000 a year over the lifetime of the wind farm and that it
would improve access into Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, boosting the
area’s leisure credentials.
Alasdair MacLeod, 2020 Renewables development director, said: “Our
consult-ation on Inverclyde Wind Farm has been extensive and a detailed
application has now been submitted. We hope to secure consent as soon as
possible so that we can bring the benefits of renewables to our own local
community and local businesses.”
But campaign group Keep Corlic Wild has started a petition calling on
councillors to scrap the bid. Its spokesman said: “The Corlic Hill area
between Greenock and Port Glasgow of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is a
beautiful and diverse natural space that needs protected from
industrialisation.
“Our local heritage and archaeology, including a scheduled Roman Fortlet
and roundhouse, should be preserved. Our hillsides along the Lower Clyde
should be free from turbines to protect tourism in the area.”
2020 Renewables is also behind the construction of a five-turbine farm near
Eagles-ham in East Renfrewshire.
Construction of the AOE Wind Farm, which stands for Ardoch Farm and Over
Enoch Road, is to begin shortly.
Earlier this month 2020 Renewables won the Green-ock Chamber of Commerce
Bee’s Knees award for Emerging Industries.
It is now one of Europe’s largest independent renew-able energy companies
with a capital spend of more than £700million over the next three years.
The Evening Times revealed last month that South Lanarkshire has 384 wind
turbines on wind farms of four or more turbines, generating enough
electricity to power 450,000 homes.
A report by South Lanark-shire Council’s planning committee revealed a
further 200 sites now have planning permission for three or fewer turbines,
with the turbines yet to be constructed.
2 Comments
Mr J. Howat · July 28, 2013 at 1:17 pm
2020 Renewables 10 wind turbine application for Corlic Hill, must be refused on the grounds that it is to close to residential dwellings, will be the ruination of Clyde Regional Muirshield Park, will affect tourism in and around CRMP, and most worrying there is serious health risks, attached to these wind turbines which can bring on an attack with someone suffering from Epilepsy and Autism through “Visual Flicker” according to information given at a recent meeting of Keep Corlic Wild action group, should they be in the vicinity of such a wind farm.
Apart from the drastic impact it will have on our outstanding views of the River Clyde and surrounding Hills, no one wants these oversized whirligig’s they uneconomical, half the time they don’t run, and downright Dangerous.
SNP Government wants a yes vote in 2014, well they’re definitely going about it the wrong way, if they think the people of Scotland wish to see the their beautiful scenery ruined with so many windfarms being approved in Scotland by SNP policy.
Take “heed” Mr Salmond, you may well be shy of a few seats held in Inverclyde at present, but for how long !!, will they be there at the next election if wind farms approved, I don’t think so, maybe you should have a re-think on Windfarm suitability for the whole of Glasgow and the lower Clyde Estuary.