By Maureen Ferrier
Cameron Community Council is to support objectors to the latest move by St
Andrews University to develop a wind farm at Kenly.
The university has applied to Fife Council for permission to connect the
wind farm to the grid, but the local community council has described the
proposal for the line – through Stravithie, Lathockar and via the A915 into
St Andrews – as “irrational”. But the council will hold a special meeting
next week to discuss the application and help people who want to object to it.
Gordon Ball, community council chairman, commented: “It beggars belief that
the university has spoken to no one locally about its plans before making
this application. It’s ignored standard good practice and steamed ahead as
if the local communities do not exist.”
But the university responded: “We remain fully committed to this important
project which, if it is cleared to go ahead, will protect hundreds of jobs
in north east Fife and help cut carbon emissions. At present, however,
we’ve yet to agree a radar mitigation solution with the MOD and as long as
that remains the case, we don’t believe it would be fair to waste people’s
time consulting or engaging in detail on a project which we can’t yet
confirm will go ahead. If or when we reach agreement with the MOD, we will
be engaging fully with local communities and businesses.”
The university was granted permission for the six-turbine development on
condition that a radar mitigation scheme was in place before work started
on the site to protect operations at Leuchars. No scheme is yet in place,
and earlier this year Fife Council refused a bid by the university to start
work on the site ahead of agreement being reached.
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