June 18, 2013
Scotland

Campaigners oppose wind turbine appeal

Barrhead News | 17 June 2013 | www.barrheadnews.com

An entire street has rallied after an appeal was launched to install a 100ft wind turbine in the hills above Barrhead.

Gateside residents were overjoyed when East Renfrewshire Council refused the application for the massive structure less than 500 feet from their back gardens.

However this week the applicant based at Woodneuk Farm on Hillside Road decided to appeal to the Scottish Government – sparking fresh fears it could still go ahead.

Campaign head and father-of- two, Douglas Junner, 46, said: “It’s disappointing that they have taken the decision to appeal, we thought we might have seen the end of this but we will continue to oppose the application and hope for the best outcome for the residents of this street.”

The campaigners at Gateside Road had been backed in their opposition by Councillor Danny Devlin and Jim Murphy MP, and it was announced last month that the application had been refused by the council’s planning committee.

Campaigners say the proposed turbine would dominate the hillside and ruin the natural beauty of the area, as well as pose a serious health risk to them and their children.

Douglas said: “My main concerns are the impact of low frequency noise or hum, it has been linked with serious mental and physical illnesses in places where windfarms have been built in areas close to homes, which is a massive concern for me because the noise can drift for hundreds of meters and my kids have their bedrooms at the back of the house looking on to the site.”

25 households were represented at the first meeting of the anti-turbine campaign group, which was held in Douglas Junner’s home, which Councillor Danny Devlin attended.

Councillor Devlin said: “This will be fought tooth and nail. Greenspace around Barrhead is being slowly eroded and we need to preserve hat we have left.

“These turbines are a blight on the landscape and resident’s lives and I will continue to back the residents of Gateside in their efforts.

“The reporter does not know what the local issues are or how this development could affect local people.”

It is not known yet when the application will go before the Scottish Government’s reporter.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/06/18/campaigners-oppose-wind-turbine-appeal/