August 23, 2013
Scotland

Braes residents protest over wind turbine

By Scott McAngus | The Falkirk Herald | 23 August 2013 | www.falkirkherald.co.uk

A wind turbine plan that got the green light at a district beauty spot has caused a storm of protests from nearby residents.

Falkirk Council has given the go-ahead for a 45-metre high turbine on land to the east of Castlehill Farm which borders Muiravonside Country Park.

But residents in Muiravonside Loan have criticised the planning process, claiming no notice was given to anyone about the proposals by applicant Intelligent Land Investments Ltd until permission was granted.

Changes to national planning rules mean councils only need to notify anyone living within 20 metres of a site. But with no one living that close, locals didn’t know about it.

They say the turbine will be a blight on the landscape and will have an adverse effect on local wildlife.

They vowed to fight the decision “all the way”.

Wilma Morton, who owns Castlehill Farm with husband David, said: “The first we heard of it was when one of our workers saw three men in our field and asked what they were doing.

“It feels a bit underhand how this has gone through and everyone is very angry. We objected to it three years ago when we were notified and it didn’t get passed, but now it has gone through because no one knew about it.”

“It will be a 150-foot monstrosity and everyone living here will fight this all the way to the Scottish Government.”

The council’s head of planning and transportation John Angell said the application was considered in line with both national and local planning policy and would not have an adverse impact on the landscape.

He added: “While we need to work within the planning legislation and guidelines we do have concerns that the regulations for neighbour notification of wind turbine applications do not extend far enough. We have written to the Scottish Government asking them to consider amending these procedures to allow us to notify premises within a wider area of wind turbine applications.”

The Scottish Government did not respond in time for comment.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/23/braes-residents-protest-over-wind-turbine/