August 18, 2012
Scotland

Windfarm bid for Carron Valley

by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Friday | www.stirlingobserver.co.uk 17 August 2012

Carron Valley has been targeted for more wind turbines, with developers submitting an application for 15 to Stirling Council planners.

Partnerships for Renewables Development Company Ltd is seeking permission to run a windfarm for 25 years.

The proposal involves 15 turbines, each up to 126 metres high, on land north of Cairnoch, on the Polmaise road to the Carron Reservoir.

The 45 MW application is the first to be submitted by the company through its partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) .

The company’s regional manager Alan Mathewson said: “We have spent considerable time looking at the forest and have identified a specific area for development on Cairnoch Hill to the north of the reservoir.

“This 15-turbine proposal will have the capacity to generate almost 100 GWh of green electricity per annum – enough to power over 20,000 homes.

“We have carefully considered other developments in the area and have focused on a proposal that reduces issues that have caused concern, including aviation and visual impact from iconic views such as Stirling Castle. ”

If the planning application is approved the company says a community benefit fund would be available, which could provide more than £5 million for the local area over the life of the development.

Local communities would also be given the opportunity to invest directly in the project and the developers are pledging that consultation with local communities will continue throughout the planning process to establish the best way of delivering long-term benefits.

FCS signed an agreement with Partnerships for Renewables at the beginning of 2010. Having identified more than a dozen sites through the initial screening process, they hope to deliver around 250 MW of installed capacity in the Lowlands and Borders.

FCS says it is keen to ensure that any development will allow it to increase resources and enhance facilities across the forest estate. It says the development will improve access and use of the forest on Cairnoch Hill once construction is complete.

Earlier this year the Clanranald Trust, which is constructing a mediaeval fort at Duncarron in Carron Valley, warned that increasing demand to site wind turbines in the area could blow its chances of becoming an international movie location.

It is hoping to persuade both Falkirk and Stirling Councils to reject windfarm proposals for the area.

The complete planning application can be viewed on the project website at www.pfr.co.uk/carronvalley or on the Stirling Council planning portal at www.stirling.gov.uk, reference number 12/00515/FULL.

Hard copies of the application by Partnerships For Renewables will also be put on display at Stirling Council’s planning department and at Fintry Sports Club.