June 8, 2012
Scotland

Protestors march to the top of the hill

Deeside Piper and Herald, www.deesidepiper.co.uk 8 June 2012

A diverse group of protestors – the ‘No To Tibberchindy Wind Farm’ Group – organized a walk to the proposed wind farm site at the top of Coiliochbhar Hill to draw attention to their campaign.

The protest walkers, ranging in age from 9 to 70 plus met at the summit of the Donside hill for a picnic and to restate their opposition to the proposed wind farm.

The proposed planning application by wind farm developers Infinis has been delayed each month of the year so far but group member and Glenkindie resident Simon Beswick said: “We are mobilized and ready to fight an actual planning application but we need to keep Tibberchindy and Coiliochbhar in the consciousness of Donside residents until such time. Being up here today – as on any day – in this very special place, reminds me and my family of the need to keeping fighting this proposed industrial development.”

“The ‘Stop Turbines on Pressendye (SToP) and ‘Stop Turbines in Cushnie (STiC)’’ campaigns were also represented on the walk.

Dave Vardy of SToP said: “We are understandably concerned that our so far successful efforts to preserve the stunning views from hills around the Howes of Cromar and Cushnie would be undone by a large wind farm development on the highly prominent hill at Tibberchindy just four miles north of the summit of Pressendye.

Aberdeenshire Council should act upon Councillor Peter Argyle’s urgent call for a moratorium on wind farm developments in the shire. It is about time the planning system was used proactively to prevent turbine developments from dominating residents’ lives.”

Six wind turbines are proposed for the summit of Coiliochbhar hill on land shared by both Brux and Breda estates. The meteorogical mast erected here prior to the application stands at 70 metres tall. At 115 metres tall, the turbines will be visible across a wide area from Tillyfourie to Tullynessle and across Kildrummy and Glenkindie.

Coiliochbhar Hill is 1480 feet above sea level as is designated an ‘Area of Landscape Significance’ being the focal point of the Howe of Alford.

Charles McGeachie of Glenkindie, one of the walk organizers, said that while the No To Tibberchindy Wind Farm Group had planned the walk route carefully to avoid livestock and to have minimal impact on the soil and hillside they sort to protect, he hoped that other local people would walk the route.

“The views from the summit of Coiliochbhar hill are magnificent and this is currently a very unspoilt and little known part of Donside.”

Group member and Breda resident John Macmillan undertook the walk with his wife Irene: “The name Tibberchindy refers to a derelict ‘farmtoun’ recognized for its archeological importance by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. However there is also recognized evidence of much earlier settlement of the site which would have included longhouses, enclosure and field banks. The proposed wind farm site whilst named after this place which is important in a national historic context would also straddle Coiliochbhar hill, important in a national natural heritage context.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/08/protestors-march-to-the-top-of-the-hill/