A major extension to a controversial Highlands wind farm near the
Glenfiddich Estate at Dufftown was scuppered last night after the original
developer formally withdrew the plans.
Dorset-based wind farm developer Infinergy had created the project vehicle
Dorenell Ltd with the land owner, Christopher Moran Energy Ltd, a company
registered in Chelsea, London, which has net assets of more than £50 million.
Along with Christopher Moran, Matthieu Hue, the Chief Executive of EDF
Energy Renewables, is also registered as a director of Dorenell Wind Farm
Limited
But Infinergy yesterday formally withdrew the plan to build 60 turbines
with blade-tip heights of 125m on Dorenell Hill, near Lower Cabrach
village, which is barely one mile from the northern side of the Cairngorms
National Park.
Infinergy did not disclose why they withdrew the application as they were
latterly only acting as planning agents for EDF Renewables, the ‘green’
wing of the French state corporation which owns and operates the two
Scottish nuclear power stations in the Central Belt.
An EDF spokesman said: “We will not be pursuing the public inquiry on the
variation and extension applications for consent on the Dorenell wind farm.
“Every wind farm project is subject to a demanding timetable and this
project is no exception.”
Meanwhile, local community groups around the <original> 60-turbine Dorenell
wind farm which is being built on the Glenfiddich Estate near Dufftown in
Speyside are due to meet with the French-owned developer over their
concerns that they will miss out on up to £16 million in community benefits.
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