By Ben Hendry
A new windfarm will be erected outside a Moray village – after developers
reduced its size by almost half in the face of opposition from locals.
Councillors have approved plans for six turbines at a site at Meikle Hill,
south east of Dallas – down from the 10 originally proposed by
Edinburgh-based firm Brookfield Renewable UK Ltd last December.
Members of Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee heard
the firm had managed to quell public resistance to the scheme.
Highlands and Islands Airport at Inverness and the Ministry of Defence also
withdrew objections to the plan after it was altered.
It is estimated the farm will generate more than £1.7 million of community
benefit throughout its 25-year lifetime.
Speyside and Glenlivet councillor Mike McConnachie said: “The developer has
worked really hard to alleviate the objections to the scheme.
“There were 17 objections to the scheme when it was first raised and they
have all been removed now the amount of turbines has been reduced.”
Committee chairman Chris Tuke added: “The developer has also taken account
of visual impact problems by moving the farm back further into the interior
of the land.”
Project Manager at Brookfield Renewable UK, Jamie Druitt, said the
councillors’ support was “greatly encouraging”.
He added: “The positive outcome demonstrates that councillors have accepted
the merits of our proposals and the work we have undertaken, with both the
council and the community, to ensure that Meikle Hill Wind Farm is the best
fit for the local area.
“We would like to thank local residents for their continued support and
engagement with the Meikle Hill project, and we look forward to further
developing our relationship throughout the construction and operational
phases.”
The revised scheme attracted 65 letters of public support and 21 in opposition.
Last month the Meikle Hill development figured on a list of 46 windfarms
criticised by the John Muir Trust wild land charity because of its
proximity to the Cairngorms National Park.
The charity’s John Low said: “This endless march of windfarms encircling
the iconic wild land of the national park is a real challenge for the
government.”
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