August 17, 2012
Scotland

Airport warning over wind turbine

by Lex Brown, Irvine Herald | www.irvineherald.co.uk 17 August 2012

The operators of Prestwick Airport have warned an Irvine company to speak to them before they go ahead with plans for a giant 500KW wind turbine.

Caledonian Paper are considering submitting a formal application to erect the turbine to provide power to their paper mill at Meadowhead.

The company want to invest the cash to help offset rising energy costs at the huge mill.

But the airport have said they have the site on their primary surveillance radar.

The huge turbine would be mounted on a 150 metre tower and could interfere with the airport approach radar.

They say any application for a wind turbine on the Meadowhead site would “most likely attract a safeguarding objection from Glasgow Prestwick Airport due to the impact this would have on our air traffic control service.”

The airport suggests the company to consult with them early in the planning process.

Prestwick Airport keeps a close eye on wind turbine development close to flightpaths.

They objected to initial plans by GlaxoSmithKline to erect a windfarm at their Irvine site to combat rising power costs.

This latest warning comes as the airport say they have no objections to a 50 metre high temporary metrological mast at the edge of the Meadowhead site.

Caledonian say they require the mast to measure wind speeds and directions over the next two years.

This week North Ayrshire planning committee gave the go-ahead on condition the mast would only be in operation for two years.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/17/airport-warning-over-wind-turbine/