Victory for opponents as Tressady Wind Farm application is turned down – Northern Times

The potential impact on Sutherland residents’ lives saw councillors throw
out plans for a 13-turbine wind farm on the Tressady Estate, near Rogart.

Despite officials recommending Wind Prospect Developments’ scheme for
approval, Highland Council’s north planing committee voted 7-2 to reject it
today, following a site visit 24 hours earlier.

The turbines would have been 115-metres high within the Strath Fleet
watershed between the hilltops of Cnoc na Fardaich to the north-west and
Cnoc na h Uaighe to the south-east, but councillors were alarmed at its
proximity to residents’ homes.

East Sutherland and Edderton councillor Graham Phillips – who had demanded
the site visit last month after one local resident was in tears explaining
to him how the noise from nearby turbines blighted his life – led the move
to reject the application by tabling the successful motion.

Thirty objections had been lodged, with the growing number of wind farms in
the area, potential noise pollution and already operational Kilbraur wind
farm highlighted.

Rogart Community Council had not objected but voiced concern over the
number of similar projects.

Councillor Phillips said he could not support the development because of
the potential effect on local people and said its supporters were those
whose families could make money out of it or who flagged up the financial
benefits for the wider community.

He said the terrain would probably have been left untouched as designated
“wild land” if previous development had not taken place.

“Where we were actually seeing (on the site visit) would be wild land if it
hadn’t been muddled by the land down the road at Kilbraur,” he said. “The
landscape is largely empty.”

Caithness councillor Donnie Mackay said there was already too many turbines
in the area. “It is some lovely scenery and I think we would be spoiling
that scenery; the other point is that it’s so close to the houses,” he said.

But Wick councillor Bill Fernie and Dingwall member Angela MacLean, who had
“sympathy” with local people but thought there was enough space for the
turbines, supported the major renewable development.

“I am surprised to see that the area is ‘intensely occupied’ in a rural
area of Sutherland,” said Councillor Fernie, who claimed the authority
would have described it as a “sparsely populated” if it was applying for
some form of grant for another issue.

Councillor MacLean added: “While I can have sympathy for the objectors we
have policies so we can follow them.”

Councillor Phillips said last month that one constituent had been in tears
explaining how the drone from turbines at the Kilbraur wind farm disturbed him.

“He lives exactly half-way between where Tressady would go and Kilbraur and
the resident described it like a generator over the fence,” said Councillor
Phillips.

After hearing of the decision, Sophie Nioche, development manager for the
Tressady Wind Farm proposal, said: “We’re extremely disappointed by today’s
decision. We will review the decision notice once it’s published and
consider the next steps to take.”