Wind farms ‘trashing’ the countryside
By David Mackay
The Scottish Government has been pressed to stop “trashing” the Moray
countryside with wind farm developments.
Fears have already been raised the region is nearing saturation point with
the renewable energy technology with 156 turbines already in operation that
are more than 165ft tall – with about another 100 granted planning
permission but yet to be built.
Now Moray Council has recommended removing the Cabrach as an “area of great
landscape value”
due to the construction of the Dorenell project – and said it will have a
“strong influence” on the landscape.
The comments have been included in a draft report from the authority that
was approved for public consultation this week.
However, Forres councillor Claire Feaver, a former chairwoman of the
council’s planning committee, said it was now time for a rethink for future
developments.
EDF Energy’s Dorenell wind farm, which will have 59 turbines on the
Glenfiddich Estate, was approved by the Scottish
Government despite an objection from the council and about 600 members of
the public. However, a similar number backed the project.
Mrs Feaver said: “Our beautiful upland landscapes have been damaged by the
ideological obsession with industrialscale turbines.
“The Scottish Government has repeatedly overturned council planning
decisions and allowed damaging proposals to go ahead – and the cumulative
effect
has been to degrade some of our most scenic areas.
“The last straw was surely the disastrous decision to approve Dorenell.
“This has trashed a beautiful part of Moray.”
Speyside businessman Joerg Bondzio fears his holiday adventure and
accommodation firm near Knockando could be ruined by “obscene” turbines
from an extension to the Paul’s Hill development.
The German native believes the natural Moray landscape is a big draw for
visitors.
He said: “We’ve lived here next to Roy’s Hill for more than 20 years. We’re
dismayed by the potential increase in cumulative adverse effects on the hill.
“We bought our property for its remote location and wildness. No wind farms
were in planning then. We were here first and we now have to live with the
prospect of more applications in the future.”
EDF Energy declined to comment.
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