February 20, 2013
Scotland

Keith turbine plans rejected

The Press and Journal | 20 February 2013 |

Moray councillors refused yesterday two wind turbine proposals – after officers claimed they would have an “unacceptable” impact on the rural landscape.

Planning officers told the authority’s planning and regulatory services that the developments in the Keith area were contrary to the Moray Local Plan.

Proposals to build two 750kw turbines at Backmuir, Keith, were refused after officers claimed the visual impact would “detract from the character and appearance of the landscape”.

A report written by planning officer Neal MacPherson said the proposed 282ft turbines, together with the nearby operational and approved turbines at Edintore and Drummuir, “would lead to an unacceptable cumulative impact”. He said the structures would have an effect on people travelling along the A96 Inverness-Aberdeen road and from vantage points in the surrounding area, including Keith.

The report adds: “The combined effect would give rise to a landscape with a cluttered appearance, detrimentally affecting its rural character to an unacceptable degree.”

Meanwhile, plans for an 800kw turbine at Garralhill, Newmill, Keith, were also refused by councillors. Officers said the proposed turbine, measuring up to 242ft, “would inevitably appear as a prominent feature within the landscape, particularly when viewed from the surrounding countryside”.

Keith councillor Stewart Cree said that during a site visit to Garralhill, he had noticed a “huge variety” of turbines with “no symmetry or order”. He added: “It’s reaching the stage where the landscape has been affected enough.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/02/20/keith-turbine-plans-rejected/