September 26, 2006
U.K.
U.K.
Plans for a wind farm in Perthshire have been given the go-ahead after Scottish ministers overruled the local council’s decision to refuse it.
The 16-turbine rural development near Alyth will generate enough electricity to power about 35,000 homes.
Perth and Kinross Council had refused power firm Scottish and Southern Energy permission to build the 32 megawatt wind farm in 2005.
The company said it aimed to have the £30m project up and running in 2008.
The Scottish Executive’s decision to allow the wind farm at Drumderg came after a public inquiry into the development, which also awarded expenses to Scottish and Southern against the council.
‘Disappointing’ process
The company said it would reinvest the as yet undetermined sum in energy and environmental projects in the Perth and Kinross area.
Councillors threw out plans for the farm, five miles from Alyth, after claiming they presented an unacceptable risk to the local water supply and a nearby peat area classified as a conservation site.
Following the decision by ministers, Scottish and Southern chief executive Ian Marchant said: “I am pleased that the Drumderg wind farm has finally received consent, although I remain disappointed that it has taken more than three years for this planning process to be completed.”
The company is seeking consent for a further six wind farms in Scotland over the next year or so, with a total generating capacity of 330 megawatts.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/09/26/ministers-overrule-wind-farm-plan/