Plea to withdraw Clatto windfarm application
Credit: By Liz Rougvie, Fife Today, www.fifetoday.co.uk 2 September 2010 ~~
The company behind plans to erect three wind turbines in a rural area of north east Fife is being urged to withdraw its application – amid claims that the development would cause ‘considerable heartache’ for the local community.
Midlothian-based Green Cat Renewables has applied on behalf of landowner Douglas Rennie to site the 100-metre turbines on farmland at Clatto Hill, between Cupar and Kennoway.
It is one of two applications for windfarms in the area, the other having been lodged by West Coast Energy for seven 120-metre turbines at Devon Wood.
Both have attracted a number of objections, and the Clatto Landscape Protection Group have revealed that they had written to Green Cat Renewables asking the company to change its mind.
They claim that the turbines would have a detrimental impact on local residents as well as the ‘much loved’ landscape, and that the plans contravene several Fife Council planning policies.
They also believe the ATC radar at RAF Leuchars would be affected and that telecommunications would also be hit unless proper mitigation measures were put in place.
In addition, they have described Green Cat Renewables’ environmental statement as ‘poorly researched’ and told the company: “Withdrawing your application now would save councillors and planning officials massive amounts of work and time, and release the local community from very considerable heartache.”
CLPG chairman Greg Brown said: “Green Cat have failed to consult at the highest level, and our group has seen so many flaws in their environment statement that the council could not possibly use it as a basis for deciding on the application.
“In these difficult times, when councils have no option but to cut spending, Green Cat are wasting valuable public funds through lack of basic research.”
Green Cat Renewables claim that Mr Rennie’s proposed cluster would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 4000 average households as well as provide him with an additional source of income.
