Written by Hugh Ross
Plans for a towering wind farm near Reay – which would have the tallest
turbines in the Highlands – have been blasted by councillors who have urged
the Scottish Government to reject the giant scheme.
Fears were also expressed at a planning committee meeting yesterday that
Infinergy Ltd’s Limekiln development of 24 turbines – of which 15 would be
up to 139 metres tall – could overwhelm the area.
And one far north councillor demanded an urgent review of the growing
number of wind farms being built in Caithness, describing the current
situation as “bloody nonsense”.
The heavily criticised development had attracted fierce opposition, with
hundreds of objectors warning it would overshadow the village.
Highland Council’s north plan-ning committee, including Caithness and
Sutherland members George Farlow, Donnie Mackay and Bill Fernie agreed to
raise an objection.
Mr Farlow said it was a “shocking” application and claimed the developer
“had taken a flyer” with it.
The final decision rests with Edinburgh-based Scottish Ministers because
the scheme has a potential capacity of 75 megawatts.
Mr Mackay urged the committee to launch a county-wide review of turbines
and said Caithness was providing above and beyond the renewable energy targets.
“We have wind turbines all over the county – I just think it is a bloody
nonsense,” he said.
Mr Farlow said Infinergy’s scheme gave a bad name to good wind farm
applications and warned it could ruin the attractive village.
Mr Bremner told the committee his first thoughts on the turbines when he
saw the proposed height was: “Wow! These are big.”
The Caithness landward councillor tabled a successful amendment that the
wind farm would have a significant detrimental effect on the area.
“What the developer has put forward is of such a vast scale, the landscape
has no room,” said Mr Bremner, who questioned why Scottish Natural Heritage
had not objected.
Mr Fernie claimed house values could fall if the turbines went up and as
many of the local community were employed at Dounreay, which edges closer
to complete closure, he warned they could suffer a “double whammy” over the
next decade.
More than 500 people – many of whom live in Caithness – had objected,
saying the turbines were too tall and would create a noise.
Planners, who recommended no objection was raised, admitted the farm might
impact on a number of nearby designated sites, protected species, valued
habitats and other ecological interests.
However, they felt the distance between existing houses and the turbines,
the impact from turbines, their visual movement, overshadowing or noise
would not be considered to be at a sufficiently adverse level.
A mixture of turbine sizes is proposed, with maximum tip heights of 126
metres for the other nine turbines.
Infinergy has highlighted its commitment to a community benefit fund worth
£9 million over the 25-year life span of the wind farm.
Earlier in the meeting, Mr Bremner’s bid to have Whirlwind Renewables’
Achlachan wind farm plan for five turbines at Spittal rejected was narrowly
defeated after a vote was tied 5-5.
Mr Bremner said the new 110-metre high turbines would have a significant
effect on the Westerdale, Mybster and Spittal communities.
“They will stand very proud and prominent in the landscape,” said Mr
Bremner, who warned of a “cluttering effect” because of the other wind
turbines in the area.
But his amendment was defeated on the casting vote of committee chairwoman
and Ross-shire councillor Isobel McCallum.
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