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Wind farm plan – agent optimistic
Credit: By Graham Crawford, Banffshire Journal, www.banffshire-journal.co.uk 9 November 2010 ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
The wind of change continues to blow through the Banffshire countryside.
An application is set to be lodged for three 80-metre high turbines at Mains of Auchinderran Farm, a mile and a half north-west of Aberchirder.
Only a few weeks ago, a controversial bid to establish three turbines at Marnoch, a few miles south-west of Aberchirder, was withdrawn following strong local opposition and more than 230 objections.
Last week, Aberdeenshire councillors blocked plans for three 80-metre masts at Cairnhill, near Turriff, which would have extended an existing three-turbine scheme.
“We have a problem with the cumulative effect,” said Formartine area committee chairman John Loveday. “I am a fan of wind turbines, but I feel doing it this way is getting a wind farm by the back door and I don’t agree with it.”
Councillors also agreed to carry out a site visit before deciding on another application to build three structures at Shielburn Farm, Newton of Fortrie, four miles south-west of the town.
Plans for the turbines at Mains of Auchinderran Farm, which sits on an elevated site near Finnygaud and Knowes of Elrick, just off the Aberchirder to Cornhill road, and is owned by Brian Greig, were presented to the public at an exhibition at the New Inn Hotel, Aberchirder, last week.
Findings of environmental studies carried out were also revealed.
The turbines would almost certainly be in view of Aberchirder residents.
A spokesman for the agent, Green Cat Renewables, said: “All the homes within a kilometre of the site were notified of the meeting as well as a notice put in the press.
“Around 60 people turned up, which was good for a wet, Monday evening.
“Of those, 50 returned questionnaires, and 80% of them were positive about the proposals.
“The proposed site is not a designated area of importance, and we are optimistic there will not be much opposition to the turbines, which would create enough energy to power more than 1,000 homes.
“An application is expected to be lodged with the council within the next week or two.”
A Knowes of Elrick resident who did not want named said: “It is open land and you can see for miles around.”
Objectors to the recently withdrawn plans for three turbines at Mossford Farm, Marnoch, suspect the application may be renewed at some stage in a slightly different form.
“We don’t really feel this is the end of the matter,” one told the ‘Banffshire Journal’ last week.
The Marnoch objectors feel that any turbines in the area would a blight on the stunning Deveron Valley which Aberdeenshire Council has designated as an “area of landscape significance.”
An application has just been lodged with Aberdeenshire Council for full planning permission to erect three 20.4 metre wind turbines at Findon, Gamrie.
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