By Jamie Buchan
The future of a multimillion-pound Perthshire wind farm has been left
hanging in the balance after an official objection from Perth and Kinross
Council.
Members of the authority’s development management committee unanimously
agreed to oppose the controversial 25-tubrine Crossburns project, earmarked
for land near Aberfeldy.
Because of its scale, the West Coast Energy scheme will need to go before
the Scottish Government for approval.
Perth and Kinross Council has been asked for its view of the development
ahead of a final decision, due to be taken in the coming months.
If approved, the 377ft turbines would be installed on land south-west of
Aberfeldy and close to the existing Calliachar Wind Farm.
Last year, councillors rejected plans for a seven turbine expansion of the
Calliachar site, but developers secured planning permission following a
successful appeal to Scottish Ministers in April.
Committee convenor Tom Gray proposed that fellow councillors should go with
planners’ recommendations and lodge a formal objection against the
Crossburns plan.
He said: “As we all know there are many windfarms up in that area already.
“We have also suffered from the overturning of our refusal for an extension
to the Calliachar development, so that will be more turbines there against
our wishes.”
His move was backed by committee members.
In his report, the council’s development quality manager Nick Brian said
the project would have an “unacceptable and adverse impact” on popular
beauty spots Loch Rannoch and Tummel Bridge. “Additionally, the wind farm
has a significant and unacceptable visual impact on residential,
recreational and tourist receptors,” he said.
Mr Brian said that the scheme would “ultimately lead to an unacceptable
cumulative landscape and visual impact”.
The plan was opposed by local community councils and conservation group the
John Muir Trust, which argued it would “contribute to the further
degradation of this landscape, resulting in negative socio-economic impact”.
In its objection letter, Aberfeldy Community Council said the scheme was
“not hugely controversial” and had been backed by local businesses, but the
group has objected to the potential cumulative effect.
West Coast Energy said its plans could provide £9.4 million of community
funding over its 25-year lifetime.
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