March 16, 2014
Scotland

Brown Muir wind farm plans go on show

The Northern Scot | 15/03/2014 | www.northern-scot.co.uk

Campaigners fighting a wind farm development staged a protest outside Lhanbryde Community Centre.

Members of the Save Brown Muir group are objection to a revised proposal put forward by Vento Ludens for 12 turbines for the location just over three miles north-west of Rothes.

An earlier application for a 19-turbine wind farm at the site, which would have been determined by the Scottish Government, was withdrawn by the company in August.

Because of the reduction in size of the development, the new plan will be considered by Moray Council.

Campaigners collected 2,200 signatures against that proposal, and believe the new plan will still scar the landscape.

There was a steady stream of people through the doors of the community centre on Wednesday to view the public exhibition on the new proposals.

Meg Deasley, of Docherty Consulting, said: “This is an opportunity to see that we have taken on board the information gathered in the previous consultation.

“This is a completely new plan and here is a reduction in the number of turbines.

“We was to hear from everybody who has an opinion on the new proposal.”

As well as holding public exhibitions the consultants and representatives from Vento Ludens has been discussing the plan with local community councils.

Karen Lamond-Lowson was one of those who viewed the plans in Lhanbryde.

She said: “I’m pleased the number of turbines is down and they have been situated away from the hill top.

“I’m really not 100% in favour of wind farms and I’m disappointed that they have come to our area.”

She added that companies needed to look at more natural ways to produce energy that were not so intrusive.

Exhibitions will take place at the Grant Hall in Rothes on Friday from 2-7pm and Inchberry Hall on Saturday (March 22) from 10am until 2pm.

The Save the Brown Muir group will protests at each exhibition and have launching a new petition against the plan.

A decision on the wind farm is likely to be taken at the end of this year.

If approved construction will begin in 2016 and take around two years to complete.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/16/brown-muir-wind-farm-plans-go-on-show/