August 8, 2012
Scotland

Public meeting and protest walk against wind farm

Brechin Advertiser | www.brechinadvertiser.co.uk 8 August 2012

Wind farm objectors have spoken up about their concerns over proposals for a 17-turbine wind farm at Nathro Hill on the Careston Estate

Stop Wind farm At Nathro Action Group (SWANAG) hope to halt plans for the wind farm which will stretch along the skyline from Peat Hill in Glen Lethnot over three miles past Glen Trusta and Glen Ogil.

“I think people don’t know where the proposed wind farm is,” explained campaigner David Adam.

“It will be on the high hills, on the panorama that we all admire from the A90. When you go away from Angus and come back that is the first thing you see.

“To have that ruined by a whole row of turbines that go three miles into the hills, it’s just too much.

“There is a place for renewable energy but not on the high hills of Angus. I don’t think any of us are against renewables but they have to be in the correct place.

“There are 17 of them at 135 meters high, they are huge. That is about a third of the altitude of the hills and the wind turbines will be above the hills.”

When travelling up Glen Lethnot David claims that people will see the whole 17 turbines, a sight that will prevent him from returning if the turbines are given the green light.

“Lots of people travel up Glen Lethnot because it is so bare, it is an elemental glen that is so peaceful. It is a place that certainly I go back to for a picnic, to relax. It is a comfort for you. If it does go ahead I don’t think I would go back.

“People need to realise that this will be in their faces and that when they travel along the A90 from Finavon. When travelling from Forfar to Brechin along the Aberlemno hill you will see all of them from there.”

Also concerned about the impact the turbines could have on the area is SWANAG member Fiona Dow.

She said: “There has been no photograph evidence about how they will look and how tall they will be. If you walked around every hill there will be a place where you might not see them so dramatically but on the whole, from the back and from the front, you will see them.

“Nobody has factored in the noise. You can walk along the glens and have these horrendous looking things there but then you have to add in the noise.

“Who knows what the noise is going to be like. When they are in the line like this the noise can tunnel. There is the possibility that this could scare off the wildlife and that is after the damage they cause when they have built the turbines.”

Dangers to wildlife is a concern to David who worries that the proximity to the Cairngorm National Park could have serious risks to the bird population.

“A game keeper we spoke to explained that there is evidence that there are Golden Eagles that visit the bottom half of the glens and that is important because the turbines will be at the bottom half.

“Also because this wind farm is in a line there is the chance that the bird could get stuck in the turbines.

“The wind farm is only about 5km from the Caingorms and the birds breed there.”

Transport links to allow the turbines up the glens is also an issue that is claimed could have detrimental effects to the area.

“They are going to be altering the road, which they have to do to get these giant things up there. The whole landscape from the views to the roads will be altered.”

SWANAG will be holding a protest walk along the route of the proposed wind farm on Sunday, August 12 meeting at Blairno Farm, Glen Lethnot at 11am.

There will also be a public meeting at Aberlemno Village Hall on August 16, starting at 7.30pm.

For more information about the group, or to find out how to object to the plans, visit www.swanag.org.uk

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/08/public-meeting-and-protest-walk-against-wind-farm/