By Graeme Strachan
Scottish Natural Heritage has delivered a damning verdict on plans for a
major windfarm in the Angus glens.
Dr David Bale, area manager for Tayside and Grampian, said the proposed
Macritch Hill windfarm would have a significant adverse impact on the
Cairngorms National Park.
He said: “The turbines of Macritch would be introduced at distances of
around 7km into views that are fundamental to the experience of the Angus
Glens and hills such as Dreish and Mayar. The close proximity would
heighten the magnitude of change and therefore the significance of effect.”
Developer Eneco UK submitted an application for 18 turbines between Glen
Prosen and Glen Isla, each 125 metres, to the Scottish Government in January.
Eneco say the energy produced could supply Scottish Water with up to a
third of their annual energy consumption and offset approximately 53,000
tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
The site is approximately six miles north west of Kirriemuir and has been
named Macritch Hill after the hill just east of the Scottish Water reservoir.
Mr Bale said: “SNH objects to the Macritch windfarm proposal due to
significant adverse impacts on the Cairngorms National Park.
“It would have adverse effects upon the special landscape qualities of the
park, in particular those special qualities associated with the southern
plateaux within the park, including the summits and ridges of Mayar and
Dreish, which are contiguous with the windfarm site outside the park boundary.
“It would significantly affect the quality of visitor experience of those
special qualities in key parts of the park where people go specifically to
enjoy them as a fundamental part of their experience of the Angus Glens.
“We consider it unlikely that, given the sensitive location of the
proposal, its detrimental impacts could be reduced or mitigated to a level
where we would remove our objection.”
Sue Smith, spokeswoman for Friends of Backwater and Glen Isla Against
Turbines, said that campaigning groups welcomed the robust objection from
Scottish Natural Heritage.
She said: “We believe some of the data Eneco has provided is flawed and the
application is quite clearly contrary to the Angus Local Plan.
“Apart from noise and water issues, the landscape character of this
beautiful area would be destroyed and local habitats of many endangered
species threatened.
“The reservoir is a popular and accessible beauty spot which is visited
regularly by people from the surrounding towns and cities who are looking
for peace and tranquillity in the rural countryside.”
A spokeswoman for Eneco said: “Eneco designed the windfarm enclosed within
a human-changed valley landscape well away from protected wild land and not
in the expansive setting such as other developments in this area.”
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