By Liz Rougvie
Plans by St Andrews University to create a wind farm at Kenly have been
dealt a significant blow – to the delight of anti- turbine campaigners.
The university had appealed against a decision made by councillors last
summer to refuse its application to lay an underground cable some 15.4km
from its proposed windfarm – for which it has planning permission – to
Largo Road in St Andrews.
But the Scottish Government reporter dismissed the appeal and accused the
university of ‘avoidable negligence’ by failing to notify all the
landowners whose land the cable would pass through.
The university had been given two opportunities to notify the relevant
landowners but failed to do so and the reporter, David Russell, said that
in the circumstances he was unable to determine the appeal.
Now members of the Kenly Landscape Protection Group – set up six years ago
to oppose the plans – are calling on the university to ‘give up and leave
local communities in peace’.
Said spokesman Graham Lang: “This is the latest setback for the
University’s wind farm project which was consented on appeal over four
years ago.
“The University’s cable application proved controversial with residents and
communities in Boarhills, Dunino and Cameron because it took an
unnecessarily circuitous route, running very close to properties, hedges
and trees, and promising major disruption for road-users.
“The wind farm has been officially classed as a “stranded asset” by the
renewables industry, it has lost the chance of subsidy which was its
impetus in the first place, the show-stopper of radar interference remains
unresolved and radium contamination at the proposed site has not been ruled
out.
“The University should call time on this ill-fated project. After six
years, local residents, businesses and communities deserve relief from the
stress and blight of a major industrial installation appearing on their
doorstep.”
Councillor Linda Holt, who represents East Neuk and Landward, said:“The
University has given this project its best shot, investing far more than
any private developer could have afforded, and it’s time to recognise that
Kenly is the wrong place for a wind farm.
“The project has caused a lot of grief and pain locally, and dropping it
now would give the University a chance to build more constructive
relationships with communities in the Neuk.”
The university declined to comment.
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