By David Kerr
Highland Council will not review its planning policy on wind speed masts
despite controversy over the issue.
The authority is set to develop a new set of guidelines for onshore
developments as part of the Highland local development plan.
However, the local authority will not reconsider their position on
meteorological masts which are used by developers to assess the suitability
of an area for a windfarm.
The council’s planning, development and infrastructure committee will this
week consider a report detailing the start of consultation on the issue.
But the authority’s principal planner David Cowie said that met masts would
not be involved.
He said: “Approval of a met mast does not automatically mean that a
windfarm application will follow. If the wind resource is deemed
insufficient, or for other reasons, a windfarm application may not be
submitted.
“As the details of any windfarm proposal are unlikely to be known at the
date of determination of the met mast application, it is not appropriate to
speculate on future development at that stage.”
He added that any windfarm application would be subject to “rigorous
assessment” before being determined.
It follows controversy last year when councillors voted against a 262ft
mast near Urchany and Farley Forest, west of Beauly.
The plan was lodged by ABO Wind and is seen as a precursor to the
developer’s proposed 25 turbine windfarm at Allt Crach on the southern
flanks of Glen Strathfarrar.
The mast application was subsequently approved by Scottish Government
reporter Allison Coard following an appeal.
A public consultation will be carried out on the council’s planning
guidance between March and May and a draft version of the proposal is due
to be available by August
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