The Highland Council has launched a new interactive map on its website
showing the location of windfarms and wind turbines in the region.
The user-friendly Windfarm Activity Map covers all scales of wind energy
development and provides detailed information such as turbine sizes and
planning reference numbers to make it easy for people to get further
information.
Councillor Thomas Prag, Chairman of Highland Council’s Planning,
Development and Infrastructure Committee, welcomed the provision.
He said: “This new map is a step up from what we had previously provided
and gives very clear and comprehensive information at the click of a mouse.
“I am sure people will find having such an interactive and visual
representation of where we currently are in terms of wind farm activity
very useful.
“At the moment just the constructed and under construction schemes are
shown on the map but plans are to get all approved schemes, refused schemes
and those in the planning process added.”
The map can be viewed by visiting the council’s website
www.highland.gov.uk/windmap
Just shortly after the map was launched, Councillor Prag and his colleagues
on the council’s planning, development and infrastructure committee had the
opportunity to discuss progress in work to review the authority’s Onshore
Wind Energy Supplementary Guidance.
It is used in the consideration of planning applications for wind energy
developments.
New national planning policies published in June, last year, changed how
councils are to plan for onshore wind energy development.
As a result Highland Council is currently in the process of reviewing its
planning policies and guidance.
During the meeting members were advised that an initial stage of
consultation on key issues has been completed and agreed that the
consultation paper giving the council’s initial ideas for revisions to the
guidance go out for public consultation between March and May.
The intention is that the formal draft document comes back to the committee
in August this year.
The guidance will identify those areas that are likely to be most
appropriate for onshore wind farms as a guide for developers and communities.
This will take into account that other areas need to be protected due to
their importance, for example for nature conservation or landscape.
The consultation paper sets out further steps the council proposes to take
account of local considerations and cumulative impact before identifying
the areas of Highland with the greatest potential for wind energy development.
Councillor Prag said: “As a council we are supportive of the development of
a wide range of renewable energy types including wave, tidal, hydro,
onshore and offshore wind but we have to find a balance and be able to make
informed decisions using robust guidance.
“Through the guidance we need to reaffirm our commitment to identify means
whereby communities can participate in and benefit from the development of
renewable energy across the Highlands.
“This is an important piece of work so I’d encourage people to take part as
the comments we receive will help to complete the full draft supplementary
guidance for consultation later in the year.”
When the council’s consultation on onshore wind is launched in March it
will be promoted, including on the council’s website, and details provided
of how to submit comments.
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