By Kirsty McIntosh
Councillors could be about to deliver another blow to a bid to build a
major windfarm on the Perthshire/Angus border.
Officers advising in Perth and Kinross Council’s development management
committee are urging representatives to lodge a formal objection to the
project.
An application for 18 turbines between Glen Prosen and Glen Isla was
submitted by developer Eneco UK in January and this is under consideration
by Scottish Ministers.
The site is approximately two and a half miles from the Perth and Kinross
border and has been named Macritch Hill after the hill just east of the
Scottish Water reservoir.
Each of the turbines would be 125 metres in height and would be visible as
far away as Ben Vrackie, near Pitlochry, and Birnam Hill, Dunkeld – a
distance of around 18 miles.
If Perth and Kinross Council were to object, it would force the Scottish
Government to hold a public local inquiry before the plan could be determined.
Although the project will not directly affect Perth and Kinross Council in
relation to roads, noise or heritage, Nick Brian, quality development
manager, is recommending opposition to the project on a formal basis in a
report to be put before councillors on Wednesday.
He said: “Members will be aware that there is considerable pressure for
windfarms in this locale.
“There are a number of operational and approved windfarms in the vicinity
of the application along with others to be considered.
“It is requested that members of the committee support a recommendation of
objection to the proposed Macritch Wind Farm on land at Black
Hill/Saddlehill, Glen Isla, Angus.
“The consequence of a council objection is that the proposal would be
subject to a public local inquiry.”
His reasons for advocating an objection are that the windfarm “would result
in unacceptable visual impacts” on the basis of its location, scale and layout.
He added that its proximity to other windfarms in the area would “give rise
to unacceptable cumulative visual impacts”.
Angus Council members have already voted to lodge a formal objection.
Councillors agreed with a recommendation from the authority’s head of
planning, Vivien Smith, that the proposed development “would give rise to
significant and adverse landscape and visual impacts and also to
significant and adverse cumulative landscape and visual impacts”.
Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Natural Heritage, the John
Muir Trust and Kirriemuir, Inveresk and Stanley community councils have
also objected to the proposal.
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