By Cheryl Peebles
A windfarm developer has been accused of showing contempt for those who
live near its turbines.
Kennedy Renewables has taken its bid to erect six more massive turbines
near Lochgelly to the Scottish Government.
It lodged an appeal after Fife Council failed to determine its planning
application for an extension to the Little Raith Wind Farm within four months.
Instead of local councillors deciding whether to grant planning consent for
the 415ft-high structures, a government-appointed reporter will make the call.
James Glen, who runs the Loch of Shining Waters community website, said the
move shows how developers “intent on maximising profits” had “zero respect”
for the will of local communities and Fife Council.
The appeal was lodged on December 29 and this week councillors on Fife’s
central area planning committee expressed their opposition to the
development, for submission to the reporter.
Mr Glen said: “Quietly lodging an appeal at Christmas with offices closed
for a fortnight and everyone focused on their holidays, is a cheap trick
but is the kind of thing we have come to expect from Kennedy Renewables.
“People in Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath and Auchtertool are already forced to
live with the noise pollution, shadow flicker and visual intrusion of the
existing windfarm.”
The new turbines would be closer to the A92 and to Lochgelly and
Cowdenbeath than the nine already operational beside Fife Ethylene Plant.
Mr Glen claimed the impact of the existing turbines was much greater than
originally stated by the developer and concerns remained unresolved despite
complaints from residents.
He also pointed out the windfarm was the subject of a Scottish Government
study into predicted and actual impact of wind turbines.
“Unsurprisingly, there is strong local opposition to the six extra turbines
proposed,” Mr Glen said.
Planner James Wright confirmed at Wednesday’s meeting that officers were
going to recommend the planning application which was submitted under the
name of WK Extension Project Ltd be refused.
Mr Glen said: “The only reason they have now cut and run to the Scottish
Government for a decision is that they were not confident that they could
persuade elected members of the merits of their case.”
He said the applicant had “consistently ignored” and “misrepresented” local
feeling against the extension. In an online poll Loch of Shining Waters
stated only 19 per cent of respondents said they supported the proposal to
extend the windfarm.
The Courier contacted Kennedy Renewables but received no response.
Although there were 320 objections to the planning application, the
applicant claimed in appeal papers that there is significant support from
residents in nearby Cowdenbeath, Lumphinnans, Lochgelly and Auchtertool.
It also claimed the development would bring economic and environmental
benefits, creating jobs and renewable energy, and pointed out the site was
in an industrial landscape, including a major overhead electricity line,
the ethylene plant and other turbines.
Fife Council is proposing to recommend the appeal be dismissed on the
grounds of significant adverse impact upon the landscape and visual amenity
of the area, that there are already too many very large turbines in the
area and that the turbines would be visible to Edinburgh Airport radar.
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