| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind turbines visible from Old Course given the green light
Credit: By Cheryl Peebles, 7 October 2013 | www.thecourier.co.uk ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Golfers playing some of the world’s most famous fairways will soon have something other than the hole in sight.
A windfarm has been approved just three miles south of St Andrews.
Blades of some of the six 328ft turbines, to be constructed by St Andrews University at Kenly Farm, will be visible from holes on the Old Course, which regularly hosts the Open Championship.
Despite efforts by Fife Council to blow out the proposal, planning permission has been issued by a Scottish Government reporter on appeal.
Both Scottish Natural Heritage and the council, which refused planning permission a year ago, had warned of the visual impact on the historic skyline of St Andrews and views from the links and the West Sands.
Reporter Alistair Edwards decided the huge structures would have no significant impact on surrounding communities or the built or natural environment.
He said: “I consider that players’ and observers’ attention would be primarily on the game, the golf course itself, the expansive sea views and buildings and prominent landmarks in St Andrews.”
“The distance to the blades, a dip in the landscape where the turbines would be located, tree screening, the presence of a caravan park in the foreground and the presence of the Fairmont Hotel to the east of the appeal site would all reduce the visual impact of the blades.”
No one from St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the course, was available for comment.
The turbines near Boarhills and Kingsbarns are expected to produce 12.3 megawatts of electricity, which will be used to power the university’s buildings at the North Haugh.
A university spokesman said: “We are delighted that our appeal has been upheld and that this important project can finally go ahead.”
Meanwhile, separate plans by West Coast Energy for a further five turbines of the same height at Lingo Farm, three miles south of the town, were thrown out.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=57481 ]
