April 19, 2013
Scotland

Action against turbine plan for Angus tourist spot

19 April 2013 | www.thecourier.co.uk19 April 2013 | www.thecourier.co.uk

A wind turbine application near an Angus tourist spot has received objections.

The proposal for land at Gilchorn Farm, Inverkeilor, has been submitted to Angus Council by Windberry Energy Operations Ltd.

The turbine would be an Enercon E33 and would have a blade tip height of 62m, overlooking the lower Lunan Valley, between Arbroath and Montrose.

Residents have set up the Lower Lunan Valley Action Group to fight the development.

Spokesman Simon Dessain said: “We are really upset. People in every direction are objecting to this, many of whom are within 800m to 1km away from the proposed site.

“We want to give the council as much ammunition as we can to refuse the application.”

A consultation period on the application closes on Friday. The turbine would be visible from the A92, the railway line and the Angus coastal strip, including the cliffs at Lunan Bay.

A spokesman for architect Savills said the single, medium-sized turbine would provide an output of approximately 330kw of electricity.

He added: “The scheme will make an important contribution to the efforts in Scotland to tackle
climate change through the supply of renewable energy, improving the security of our energy supply and making a contribution to the Scottish Government’s ambitious target for electricity generated from renewable resources.

“We are continuing to liaise with Angus Council and are hopeful that the proposal will be positively considered.”

Mr Dessain said the development would have a significant negative impact on 15 nearby properties and claimed there are currently 28 wind turbines, either operational, approved or in planning, within 9.4 miles of the area.

He added: “Angus Ahead, the council’s tourism website, lists must-visit places as Forfar and Lunan Bay.

“This turbine will tower over the B965, which is the route between these two places.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/19/action-against-turbine-plan-for-angus-tourist-spot/