Council vote narrowly opposes Knapdale windfarm after split – Oban Times

Argyll and Bute councillors split equally in a vote on whether to oppose or
support a Knapdale wind farm with turbines ‘eight metres short of the
Blackpool Tower’.

However, the committee chairman gave the casting vote to oppose it.

EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER) applied to build Airigh Wind Farm, composed
of 14 wind turbines up to 145m tall and each generating 50.4-58.8 KW, in a
‘bowl-like’ area 8.4km south-west of Tarbert. The site, accessed via the
Alt Dearg Wind Farm entrance near Inverneill on the A83, requires 30km of
track.

Argyll and Bute Council is a consultee since applications to build onshore
power stations generating more than 50MW require the consent of the
Scottish Government.

Planning officers recommended councillors on the Planning, Protective
Service and Licensing (PPSL) Committee object due to ‘unacceptable, adverse
and cumulative’ visual impact on Knapdale’s landscape, viewed from West
Kintyre, Islay, Jura and Gigha.

Earlier in January, the PPSL agreed to a site visit before considering its
response, and met last Friday to vote. Chairman David Kinniburgh, seconded
by Councillor Jean Moffat, moved that the council object to the plan, but
the meeting adjourned for councillors George Freeman and Richard Trail to
table an amendment urging the committee to support it.

Their amendment stated the ‘landscape impact is minimised given that the
site sits lower in the landscape due to the surrounding topography’ and
that ‘it does not have a significant adverse visual impact on the
appreciation of South Knapdale’.

Furthermore, ‘the distance from existing wind farms is substantial, which
minimises the cumulative impact that can be perceived. Given that the
proposed wind farm will sit in a bowl, it will not extend the cumulative
visual impact from Kintyre into Knapdale’.

Committee members split 4:4 in the vote, with councillors Kinniburgh,
MacMillan, Moffat and Redman voting to object, and councillors Blair,
Freeman, Taylor and Trail in support. In a tie the casting vote goes to the
chairman, David Kinniburgh, who voted for the motion to oppose the wind farm.