By Jane Candlish
Anti-windfarm campaigners have called for a moratorium on new turbine
developments in the north amid fears the region is being “swamped” by turbines.
They claim 500 of the devices have been built or are planned within a few
miles of iconic Loch Ness and want a full assessment carried out of the
impact on the area’s scenery.
The protesters spoke out as members of Highland Council’s south planning
committee granted permission for two wind speed masts near Drumnadrochit.
Energy firms Force 9 Energy and EDF want the structures to gather
information for the proposed Cnoc an Eas windfarm near Balnain.
About 200 people objected to the mast plans because they were worried they
would pave the way for more turbines in the area.
Anti-windfarm campaigner Lyndsey Ward said that there were more than 500
turbines already planned or approved within 20 miles of the Cnoc an Eas
development.
She said: “That number must have a cumulative effect on the area.
“We need to stop this, it is out of control.
“People are now starting to realise that it’s not just the windfarms. They
need transmission lines as well.”
Ms Ward added: “No other developments should be approved until those given
permission are constructed so that we can see how many we have, if we need
any more, if they are performing as expected and ask ‘can the landscape
realistically absorb any more turbines?’.”
During yesterday’s meeting, Councillor Margaret Davidson pointed out that
all the major items on the agenda were for windfarm-related developments in
her ward, Aird and Loch Ness.
She said: “Almost every one of the objections is about the fact that it is
a potential precursor to a windfarm.
“I think we need to be thinking about whether we pull the two things together.
“People are hacked off. They are seeing mast applications, then a windfarm
application, then a substation application, and then an overhead
transmission line application.
“I think that as elected members, we have a key issue about principle and
practice and how we deal with windfarms.
“Communities are swamped by them. They are finding it difficult to cope and
we are getting repeated large numbers of objections.
“We can see the extent of community feeling on this, although there is a
mixture out there.”
She added: “Every time we get one of these, there is an increasing number
of objections about the windfarm. We should take account of what that is
happening.”
Inverness Central councillor Donnie Kerr said: “We have a lot of people
writing in but we are more or less told we can’t do anything about it. It
makes a mockery of consultation.”
Councillors approved the two masts yesterday on the condition bird
deflectors were fixed to the guy ropes.
inverness South councillor Thomas Prag, who is also chairman of the local
authority’s planning committee, said a report about windfarm strategy would
be discussed by members next month, and this would update the council’s
guidance on dealing with turbine applications.
He added: “If we made a policy statement to say that there was a moratorium
in Highland, then the chances are that developers would still apply.
“We might try and refuse them but they could just go to appeal.
“While I can understand why people want a moratorium, the impact is that we
lose control and hand over power to the government.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Smith, head of planning and development for Force 9
Energy, said: “I am very pleased with the pragmatic decision taken by the
planning committee.
“We will be considering the issues raised and planning to go back out to
the community with public exhibitions in the spring. We are considering the
comments made.”
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