August 30, 2011
Scotland

Turbines given thumbs down

Fife Today, www.fifetoday.co.uk 30 August 2011

Controversial proposals to create a wind farm on farm land between Dunino and Largoward have been given a comprehensive thumbs down.

An exit poll conducted following a public meeting organised by Cameron Community Council showed massive opposition to the plans by West Coast Energy to instal capacity of 12.5mw consisting of five 100-metre high turbines – with an individual blade length of 40 metres – at the Lingo site.

Of the 70 people registered at the meeting from in and around St Andrews and the East Neuk, a total of 83 per cent. said they were against the Lingo wind farm project with 10 per cent. undecided and only seven per cent in favour.

Cameron village hall was packed to capacity to hear John Mayhew, the director of the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, speak on the impact of the proliferation of wind turbine planning applications in Scotland and also on the proposed Lingo development planned for the Cameron district.

He told the audience that Government policy is focused on power generation, not demand and, coupled with unrealistically high subsidies in the form of feed-in tariffs, this has caused a plethora of planning applications to be made in Fife.

FAILURE

Mr Mayhew claimed that the failure of central Government to exclude previously identified areas of outstanding landscape value from the search areas for wind turbine applications has meant that some are being proposed in what would otherwise be unacceptable areas, and the difficult and often contentious planning decision is being left to local authorities to determine.

He also explained the legislative framework used to determine wind turbine applications and highlighted many of the planning issues to be considered when applications are being determined, including the requirements for an environmental impact assessment depending on the scale of the proposal.

PROXIMITY

He added: “The growing number of planning applications for wind turbines in relative close proximity to each other across north east Fife means that added importance must be given to the cumulative impact of these developments, which must now be a serious planning consideration for Fife Council.”

Those attending the meeting included Fife Councillor Mike Scott-Hayward, who joined with residents from Cameron and other areas in Fife.

Chairman of Cameron Community Council, Gordon Ball, said: ”It was a very successful meeting.

‘‘The high quality of Mr Mayhew’s expert and balanced dissertation prompted a lively question and answer session from the audience.”

Meanwhile, Dr David King, of STACK – Stop Turbines at Cameron, Kinaldy – said the poll gave a clear message of opposition to the plans.

He added: ”The First Minister seems to not wish to recognise the views of so many people about the imposition of these monsters when they are near property and disfigure the landscape.

“This is not an area that can accommodate such large structures and we will campaign vigorously on this point among others.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/08/30/turbines-given-thumbs-down/