Sandra Dick
FOR walkers tackling the Great Glen Way, the final stretch between
Drumnadrochit and Inverness takes in glorious views of rolling hills,
glimpses of Loch Ness, forest trails and farmland.
But while the area around Glen Convinth offers visitors a calm escape, few
might realise that it has been at the heart of a fierce wrangle that has
spanned seven years and pitched locals against the might of one of Europe’s
largest windfarm operators.
Now, finally, the countdown appears to be underway to a decision that could
bring to a conclusion the battle over the future of a picturesque slice of
the Great Glen Way.
Locals are hoping the Scottish Government will reject a plan by French
renewable energy giant Borelax to build 11 large turbines at Druim Ba –
seven years after a similar scheme was blocked following community uproar.
For objectors to the Druim Ba Wind Farm proposals, recent events have been
tinged with an air of déjà vu. Seven years ago they took up arms against a
proposal by Druim Ba Sustainable Energy (DBSE) to erect 23 wind turbines
standing 490ft tall on Blairmore Estate near Kiltarlity, a small village
around 12 miles south west of Inverness.
The bid to position what would have been the tallest wind turbines in
Scotland within striking distance of Loch Ness sparked a ferocious
campaign. In April 2011 campaigners flew a red blimp over the property
nearest the planned location, just off the A833 Kiltarlity-Drumnadrochit
road, in a bid to show how tall the structures would be.
Applicants DBSE were at the time part of French conglomerate Louis
Dreyfus’s European Forest Resources Group. The three small community
councils in the area found themselves up against an organisation with a
150-year history, that covered six geographical regions and with 21,000
employees.
Undaunted, however, they pledged to fight on, scoring a victory when
Highland Council rejected the wind farm proposal after receiving 330
objections.
A subsequent public inquiry heard claims that the development would create
up to 55 jobs and provide £7.7m of community benefits while generating 69
megawatts of electricity and power for 38,000 homes.
Nevertheless, the appeal was rejected and the plans dismissed.
Locals gathered near the site to toast their victory with champagne as news
emerged that their three year fight was over.
However, their fizz would soon go flat. Within two years a new application
for the area was on the table, this time for a smaller ten turbine scheme
with maximum blade tip height of 126m and capacity of 30mw.
Despite being a truncated version of the original plans, locals again took
up arms amid fears for its impact on local homes in the area, its intrusion
on views offered to walkers using the Great Glen Way and its dominance over
an area of forest bought by the community two decades earlier and used by,
among others, groups of children with special learning needs as a calm and
therapeutic retreat.
Lucinda Spicer, secretary of Kiltarlity Community Council, said: “We
expected a decision three or four months later but didn’t get one.”
“But we surely can’t have any more delays. I feel for local residents who
can’t sell their houses while this is going on.
“Our objection is the same as Highland Council’s: it’s unsuitable for the
landscape, it’s too close to some houses and it’s widely visible.”
She added: “If you stand at the top of the vantage point at Abriachan
Forest Trust you can see the ‘ring of steel’ where all the wind farms in
the area have been built. The landscape can’t accommodate it.
“People come here to look at mountains. They don’t want to look at
industrial structures.”
According to Boralex, the new proposal could power the equivalent of 18,000
homes, and provide “extensive opportunities for local businesses such as
the construction sector, hotel and catering providers, fencing contractors,
joiners, plant owners, hauliers and forestry contractors.”
In return, DBSE plans to pay £5000 per MW of installed capacity into a
community fund, which equates to up to £150,000 per annum and up to £3.75m
over the 25 years operational life of the wind farm.
Both sides are now waiting to find out who will take the honours in round
two of the battle for Druim Ba. A decision is expected within weeks –
albeit several months late.
Boralex, meanwhile, is unwilling to discuss the wind farm proposal before a
decision is confirmed. Spokeswoman Julie Lajoye said: “The planning appeal
for the proposed Druim Ba wind farm is currently with the Scottish
Government appointed Reporter for determination, following a public inquiry
in May 2017. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the details
of the case at this time.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said that an update on the decision
would be made shortly.
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