LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

News Watch Home

MSP claims Calliacher wind farm plan is a ‘slap in face’ to the community 

Credit:  By Sandra Gray, The Courier, www.thecourier.co.uk 5 August 2011 ~~

An energy firm has been accused of riding “roughshod” over Highland Perthshire communities after officially lodging controversial proposals.

Although Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has already been given consent to create the 14-turbine development at Calliacher near Aberfeldy, it requires further permission to make amendments.

Details of the application, which would see the overall height of the turbines rise by 10% to almost 110 metres, were unveiled at a public exhibition at Amulree village hall earlier this year.

Construction of the wind farm is due to begin next year.

Among those speaking out against the latest plans is Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser, who described this proposal as a “slap in the face.”

He told The Courier, “It is very disappointing that SSE has now officially lodged an application with Perth and Kinross Council to extend the height of the wind turbines.

“Once again the concerns of the local communities in Highland Perthshire are being ridden roughshod over. One of the primary reasons for the original application to be rejected by the council was due to its visual impact on the surrounding area.

“For SSE to put in an application to increase the height of the turbines is a slap in the face to the local communities affected by the wind farm development.”

John Muir Trust policy officer Steven Turnbull said, “The application by SSE to increase the height of the wind turbines at Calliacher is not surprising, particularly as construction has yet to begin, but it is disappointing nonetheless, given the length of time taken to make a decision on the original proposal.

“The new turbine height may only have a marginal additional visual impact on the local landscape, but the John Muir Trust remains concerned that the Calliacher development will be visible from Schiehallion, a mountain which attracts up to 20,000 walkers a year.
Concerns

“From what I can see on the SSE website, the new application does nothing to allay these concerns.”

Developers originally sought approval for a 27-turbine scheme, which was rejected in 2007, only for a revised 14-turbine plan to emerge a year later.

When that was also turned down by the local authority, the developer took its case to ministers.

After a lengthy and expensive public inquiry, a reporter granted permission for the wind farm in July last year.

Mr Fraser added, “The Calliacher wind farm development was rejected by the local community and rejected by Perth and Kinross Council. The SNP government overruled local opinion and forced through this application.

“The people of Highland Perthshire have already had to endure years of uncertainty due to the continued efforts by developers to succeed in obtaining planning permission for a wind farm development at Calliacher.

“I do not want to see a repeat of local opinion being trampled on, and we must not see the green light for the Calliacher wind turbines to be increased in size,” he added.

While SSE Generation Ltd claims that the increase in size will result in “greater wind energy capture” and increased efficiency, each turbine would still only have a maximum generating capacity of 2.3 megawatts.

This means that even if these plans were given the green light, the wind farm would still only be able to produce 32.2MW at the most – the same output as the smaller turbines.

Explaining the reasons behind the modified design, the Perth-based energy firm’s community liaison officer Noel Cummins said, “The larger rotor results in a larger swept area and therefore a greater wind energy capture and conversion into energy, meaning for the same wind resource a larger rotor is more productive.”

Source:  By Sandra Gray, The Courier, www.thecourier.co.uk 5 August 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon