November 5, 2011
Scotland
Scotland
Impact of ‘inappropriate’ Fife wind turbine near New Gilston
By Dave Lord, The Courier, www.thecourier.co.uk 3 November 2011
By Dave Lord, The Courier, www.thecourier.co.uk 3 November 2011
A proposed wind turbine in Fife would have a ”major, significant and adverse” impact on the landscape, objectors have warned.
Plans to erect a 51m structure at Baldastard Farm near New Gilston have upset a number of residents, many of whom claim that the development would be ”totally inappropriate”.
Objectors point out the turbine would be just a few hundred metres from an area of great landscape value (AGLV).
Among those objecting to the plan is Ceres resident Graham Lang.
”I object to the proposal due to its scale and location,” he said.
”The environmental statement advises that the adverse significant effects on landscape and visual amenity are localised to within two to three kilometres of the site, which takes in the communities of Woodside and New Gilston as well as scattered dwellings in the countryside.
”While distance and visibility may reduce the scale of effect it is the local impacts which are major, significant and adverse that make the proposal unacceptable.”
Mr Lang fears views from several sensitive areas would be unacceptably compromised.
‘Vital’ MoD information
”The site sits approximately 750 metres south and 500 metres north of a designated AGLV and the same distances respectively from the Ceres and Tarvit special landscape area and the Largo Law special landscape area.”
Mr Lang also warned that – when taken alongside other windfarm and turbine applications in the area – the cumulative impact for communities would be ”significant”.
He added: ”While there may be some short-term employment opportunities and support for the farming operation (if the Baldastard plan gets the green light) these are not outweighed by the significant adverse impact on local communities and landscape.”
Among others consulted concerning the plan was the Ministry of Defence.
Although not objecting to the proposal, officials have stressed the need to be kept in the loop.
”If planning permission is granted we must be told the date construction starts and ends, the maximum height of construction equipment and the latitude and longitude of… the turbine,” a representative from the MoD warned.
”This information is vital as it will be plotted on flying charts to make sure that military aircraft avoid this area.
”If the application is altered in any way we must be consulted again as even the slightest change could unacceptably affect us.”
A deadline to determine the application has been set for December 12.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/05/impact-of-inappropriate-fife-wind-turbine-near-new-gilston/