By David McPhee
The developers of the controversial offshore windfarm at Aberdeen Bay have
revealed the turbines will be the biggest in the world – prompting renewed
fears it will be an “eyesore” on the landscape.
Vattenfall confirmed at a public consultation yesterday that the project
will feature the globe’s tallest and most powerful turbines once
construction is finished later this year.
Sitting nearly 15 miles off the Aberdeen coastline, the development will
feature 11 turbines about 625ft tall.
That means they will be double the size of Big Ben, the equivalent height
of 19 double decker buses, and their collective size will equate to more
than five Empire State Buildings.
Last night, the project was criticised by a local campaigner, who argued
they would cause health concerns.
The company has claimed the turbines are capable of powering one household
for an entire day with one turn and, once finished, they be capable of
delivering 70% of Aberdeen’s total energy demand.
Kevin Metcalfe, Vattenfall’s turbine package manager, said: “It’s very
exciting for us to be using these turbines. They will be the largest
offshore wind turbines in the world.
“This is a really innovative project which will bring a positive change to
the community.”
The Aberdeen bay windfarm will be significantly taller than both the Gemini
wind farm in Holland, which measures 505ft and the London Array development
at 482ft.
Mr Metcalfe and windfarm installation manager Alistair Leighton insisted
the windfarm will be ‘virtually silent’ once finished and therefore will
not disturb any mammal or marine life living in Aberdeen Bay.
However, the proposals were condemned by veteran campaigner, Edna Booth,
who has battled against the development for many years from her home in
Blackdog.
Mrs Booth said: “They are going to be an eyesore and the health concerns
worry me. It is bound to affect us and people don’t realise this.
“We are standing up against them. The cables are coming in at the beach. We
were promised access, but this has been blocked off. It likes look a bomb site.
“We have already had 15 months of this and we still have six months to go.
“We did complain to Vattenfall, but they don’t respond very often. They
have a smart answer for everything they are doing.”
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