by ILONA AMOS
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans to erect turbines on a landmark hillside in the
North-East of Scotland have accused developers of using the planning system
in an “undemocratic” way to win permission for larger wind farms.
Members of Save Brown Muir claim a scaled-back proposal for a wind farm
near the Moray town of Rothes is the first step in a bigger scheme.
Under the original plan submitted by developer Vento Ludens, 19 420ft
turbines with a generating capacity of 57MW would have been built.
When the proposal was met with opposition from the community and groups
including Scottish Natural Heritage, the firm withdrew that application and
replaced it with a smaller scheme redesigned to lessen its impact on the
landscape.
The latest proposal is for 12 turbines, each with a capacity of 3MW and the
combined potential to generate up to £180,000 a year in community benefit
payments.
Wind farms with a generating capacity of more than 50MW require consent
from Scottish ministers, while smaller projects go before local authority
planners.
Derek Ross, a campaigner for Save Brown Muir, says the community fears if
the scaled-back scheme gets the go-ahead Vento Ludens could make moves to
extend it later, as has happened at the Hill of Towie and Dorenell wind
farms in the region.
Ross said: “These developers are making a mockery of the planning process.
They’re using it in an undemocratic way. If they get permission for this
smaller scheme, they’ll just be back for more.
“There should be an area of Scotland where there are no turbines allowed
because, at the end of the day, it will be the people living there paying,
not the companies.”
Moray Council opposed the original scheme for Brown Muir, with some
councillors pointing out that the wind farm is proposed for a site that had
not been identified in the local development plan. The proposal attracted
more than 2,000 objections and only ten voices in support.
Sean Morton, councillor for Fochabers Lhanbryde, has also expressed
concerns about proposals for the site and called for Vento Ludens to
“shelve it”.
“I have not heard from a single constituent in favour of the plan,” he said.
“The revised plans will still have a visual impact on the landscape, and
it’s an area that hasn’t been highlighted by the council for development.
They need to stop tinkering around the edges with the plan and simply
shelve it.”
Ross, a keen rambler, stressed that building turbines would impact not only
on local people, but also on tourism to an area famous for its scenery and
iconic wildlife such asospreys.
The Vento Ludens team has been quick to assure locals there are no plans to
extend the project back on to the ridge of Brown Muir.
Project manager Thomas Healy said: “After five public exhibitions the
feedback shows people have generally welcomed the dramatic reduction in the
visual impact that has resulted from the removal of the most prominent
ridge turbines. The single biggest issue we have had raised is the
possibility of adding more turbines. It is because of this our company is
happy to provide assurance that this will not happen.”
But Linda Holt, spokeswoman for anti-wind farm pressure group Scotland
Against Spin, warned that the firm’s promise is not legally binding and
does not apply to other developers.
“The industry is adept at cynically exploiting the goodwill and fears of
communities who want to do their bit and protect local amenity.”
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