Decision soon on Ceres wind farm
Folk who live in and around a north-east Fife village may soon finally find out whether they will have a wind farm as a neighbour.
The prospect of wind turbines being erected on hillside 1.2 km from Ceres has been on the cards for more than three years.
It is intended that the plans of the UK arm of German power company EnergieKontor will finally go before Fife Council’s north-east Fife area committee at its meeting on June 17.
The company, which has wind farms around Europe, wants to erect five huge turbines at Gathercauld.
Development services team leader Alistair Hamilton said it is hoped that the department’s report will be ready in time for presentation to the committee at its next meeting.
A draft report was due to be finalised on Friday and some information is still to be collated, but Mr Hamilton said, “It is our intention to get this onto the June agenda.”
EnergieKontor first announced its plans for the Gathercauld wind farm in March 2006, with the intention that it would contain 13 turbines.
The news came just six months after the firm unveiled its plans for a wind farm near Auchtermuchty, which failed to win approval from either Fife Council or the Scottish Government.
An objection from the MoD regarding potential interference with radar at RAF Leuchars was among factors which led to a reduction in the number of turbines proposed at Gathercauld, and more recently has led to the company reducing the height of three of the 80 metre high structures.
Hundreds of letters of both opposition and support for the turbines have been penned to the council over the last two years since the planning application was submitted.
Chairman of campaign group Ceres and District Environment and Amenity Protection, Graham Lang, said, “I think everyone will be glad to hear that the application is likely to be determined on June 17.
“I and many others hope that the officer recommends refusal of this controversial application which has been hanging over us all for so long.”
Calling for the planning application to be rejected, he said, “Mr (Guy) Wilson of EnergieKontor agrees that the impact on the character of the landscape and visual impact is a determining factor.
“We would add to that the adverse impact on residential amenity of noise.
“This application is contrary to policy in every important respect. It’s contrary to ministers’ national guidance.
“It’s far too close to ordinary decent peoples’ houses, with the potential for noise effects, and overbearing character.
“The wind farm proposal at Auchtermuchty, which was dismissed by a highly intelligent and experienced reporter, should have taught EnergieKontor that they simply cannot be allowed to impose their gigantic structures on people.
“This is absolutely the wrong site.”
1 June 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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