June 10, 2011
Scotland

Windfarm plans withdrawn

by Stuart Gillespie, Galloway News, icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk 9 June 2011

Plans for a controversial £24 million windfarm in the Stewartry have been withdrawn by developers.

Community Windpower are looking to build seven turbines on land between Tongland, Rhonehouse and Kirkcudbright.

But last week they agreed to pull their planning application for Mayfield Community Windfarm after being advised to do so by the council.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “We are currently undertaking further survey work as requested by the council.

“We are planning to resubmit within 12 months.”

The proposals attracted 162 letters of objection from people within the local community, with just 14 letters of support.

Many people were worried about the potential impact on tourism – but Community Windpower claimed the windfarm could be a tourist attraction in its early days.

They also said it would provide more than 50 jobs during construction and they would give local companies preference in the tender process.

They also claimed it would provide two jobs for turbine engineers and they would give £50,000 a year to the local community.

But the application was riddled with errors.

It claimed the development would boost the Lancashire economy and referred to the River Dee in the Cairngorm Mountains.

Scottish Natural Heritage, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for Scotland, the Galloway Fisheries Trust and Historic Scotland all expressed concerns about information provided.

The council “advised strongly” Community Windpower to withdraw the application in May or else it would be refused.

This was partly because a bird study was required which would take almost a year to complete.

Initially, they asked for an extension because the studies were already under way. However, last week they withdrew the application and plan to resubmit within a year.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/06/10/windfarm-plans-withdrawn/