By Ross Gardiner
The Scottish Government has knocked back plans for a major wind farm in
Highland Perthshire following a lengthy appeal.
The application for Dulater Hill Wind Park was initially lodged with Perth
and Kinross Council in the summer of 2014.
Developer Ecotricity wanted to build 17 turbines at a site just outside
Butterstone, near Dunkeld.
Each tower would have stood twice the height of the Scott Monument and the
scheme would have covered an area of land the size of 16 football pitches.
Gloucestershire-based Ecotricity said the project would bring jobs to the
Dunkeld area, as well as creating enough green energy to power almost
30,000 houses and saving more than 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
The plans were rejected after a large number of objections were raised by
local residents.
Councillors said the 125m turbines would lead to “unacceptable adverse
visual impacts” which would “erode the experience from popular viewpoints
within the River Tay National Scenic Area.”
Following the refusal, Ecotricity took the case to the Scottish Governments
Planning and Environmental Appeals Division.
Ministers were provided with information gathered at a public inquiry held
in March and April 2017, and were expected to make a decision before the
end of the year.
However the ruling was only delivered this week.
Ministers announced they had chosen to uphold the refusal, highlighting
concerns about “the desirability of preserving the natural beauty of the
countryside”.
They also said it was important that they conserve the local flora, fauna
and geological features of special interest and protect sites of
architectural, historic or archaeological interest.
The Scottish Government’s reporter acknowledged the development would make
a “valuable” contribution towards green energy targets but said the
proposals were not suitable for the area in question.
Strathtay SNP councillor Grant Laing welcomed the ruling.
He said: “While it is important that we work towards using more green
energy, we have to be careful that it is where the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages.
“I feel that this isn’t the case for this project and am glad that Scottish
Ministers have upheld the decision.”
The Courier contacted Ecotricity, however the firm did not respond to a
request for a comment.
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