By Richard Watt
Windfarm developers in Angus have appealed to the local authority over a
contentious turbine application.
Angus Council last month refused planning permission for a 77-metre turbine
at Ingliston Farm, Eassie, due to a “significant” perceived loss of amenity.
Locogen, agents for the applicant, William Shaw, have now appealed the
decision and objectors have been informed the matter will go before the
five-councillor development management review committee next month.
They can submit further evidence and the meeting is open to the public but
is not open for debate.
The local authority refused the application using delegated powers, based
on loss of amenity for residents, cumulative impact on the Sidlaws along
with other turbines, and the effect on burial mounds and a hill fort in the
area.
Local objectors also wrote to Angus Council over a number of other matters,
including perceived impact on the nearby school.
One local resident, who asked not to be named, said: “The issues have not
been addressed.”
Major consultee, Historic Scotland, objected to the development as officer
Rory McDonald aired concerns about the turbine’s effect on the setting of
three scheduled monuments.
The turbine was to be located 500m north of the Castleward burial mound and
1.1km to the west of the Denoon law fort and Wester Denoon burial mound.
Despite the offer by Locogen to reduce the turbine’s size by 10 metres,
Historic Scotland said the importance of the monuments outweighed national
policy on wind energy. Case officer David Gray noted in his report: “While
there is clearly a benefit in producing electricity by renewable means,
this should not be at the expense of other environmental considerations or
the amenity of those that live nearby.
“In the particular circumstances of this case, the environmental or
economic benefit of the production of renewable energy does not outweigh
the direct harm that this proposal would cause to the landscape and visual
amenity of the area, the amenity of occupants of nearby residential
property and the setting of scheduled ancient monuments.
“The turbine is likely to be prominent … and would therefore result in
significant impacts upon the visual amenity of houses within the small glen.
“Additionally, many of the houses in the vicinity of Eassie and Balkeerie
would experience significant visual effects.”
No-one from Angus Council was available to comment.
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