By David Kerr
Campaigners have accused a windfarm developer of attempting to “hoodwink”
the public over its application to erect 300ft towers on picturesque Dava Moor.
A new photo-montage of the Cairn Duhie scheme has been created by Renewable
Energy Systems (RES) as part of its application for 20 turbines on the site.
The computer image shows the development from the A939 Nairn-Tomintoul
road, south of Ferness, with two of the 300ft turbines just visible behind
trees.
However, the Cairn Duhie Action Group has branded the visualisation
“ridiculous”.
Chairman Bill Evans said: “It appears that RES are attempting to hoodwink
people into believing that the windfarm will become almost invisible from
the road.”
The claim was “strongly refuted” by the company last night, with a
spokeswoman insisting the image had been requested by council planners to
show the view of the proposed scheme from a particular viewpoint.
However, the criticism is the latest in a series of controversies to hit
the development, which has already attracted opposition from Moray Council,
the Cairngorms National Park and the John Muir Trust.
Mr Evans added: “”It is ridiculous to suggest that 20 turbines each 300ft
tall and as close as 100 yards from the road at places will simply disappear.
“In fact the wind farm will be the centre-piece of a curtain of steel that
will embrace the Dava Moor and be visible for many miles in many directions.”
Moray Council objected to the development in February, with principal
planning officer Angus Burnie saying it would be: “inappropriately sited
and would have a significant adverse landscape and visual effect upon the
Moray landscape”.
Dava Moor Way trustee Norman Thompson from Forres is also among the objectors.
He said: “The Dava Moor Way Association doesn’t have a view and has left it
up to members to make their own minds up.
“I think I would be fair in saying though that the majority of people are
against building a windfarm in such a prominent position.”
The turbines would be within the Highland Council area but close to the
Moray border.
Highland Council is expected to give its verdict on the application early
next year, but a final decision will be taken by the Scottish Government.
The scheme has received more than 1,500 objections, with people concerned
that the turbines could spoil the nature of the moor.
Nairn-based Cairn Duhie Action Group member Dick Ruane said the new images
would do nothing to allay people’s concerns.
“It is absolute nonsense to show that one point from low down at the side
of the road and say that’s representative of what it will look like,” he said.
“The point is that if you move 10 yards further down the road then the view
would be totally different.”
The RES Renewables spokeswoman said the montage viewpoint had been selected
by Highland Council as part of preparations for the authority’s
deliberations on the application.
She added: “The additional viewpoint on the A939 south of Ferness and
specific location was requested by the Highland Council and prepared in
accordance with their visualisation standards.
“From this section of the road, the windfarm would be screened by the trees
with only a small number of the turbines visible.
“RES is pleased that the Cairn Duhie Action Group has recognised that our
approach to sensitively designing Cairn Duhie has ensured that the project
is screened from certain points along the A939 but we strongly refute any
claims of ‘attempting to hoodwink people’ as Cairn Duhie is visible from
other parts of the road, which the visualisations submitted with our
application clearly show.”
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