July 26, 2014
Scotland

Locals in a rage at wind turbines proposal

By Nash Riggins | Evening Telegraph | 26 July 2014 | www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk

Residents have come out swinging against plans to erect three wind turbines in a quiet stretch of Angus countryside.

Developers have launched pre-plans to construct a trio of 46-metre high turbines in a field just southeast of Downiemuir, outside Monikie.

Council officials were asked this week to provide initial screening opinions on the project, which is being led by Edinburgh-based Temporis Wind, a renewables company responsible for the launch of more than 3,000 turbine projects across the UK.

Once operational, the firm said the three “small” turbines would have the ability to generate of to 450kW of energy.

‘I couldn’t believe it’

It follows directly on the heels of a similar proposal that stirred some controversy in the surrounding area.

In June, Angus officials gave the green light for construction of a 77m turbine near Strotfaulds Farm, north of Monikie – infuriating the 40 locals who submitted formal objections to the proposal.

“I couldn’t believe it when they approved the last one,” said Ken Waddell, 53, of Monikie.

“Very few people voiced support for it, because everyone thinks it will very drastically impact local tourism.

“Three more turbines a few hundred metres up the road will only make things worse.”

Newbigging resident Joyce McCann, 37, said: “This is getting absolutely ridiculous.

“People fought so long and hard to see the Strotfaulds Farm turbine rejected – and we were worried that its approval would just open up the floodgates.

“Apparently that’s turned out to be the case.”

But 66-year-old Stewart Binns, a former civil engineer from nearby Wellbank, doesn’t think the potential arrival of new turbines is a bad thing.

He said: “I realise why some people have been upset about these sort of applications, but we need to be looking at how we can do our part to fight climate change.

“It might change the view for a few villagers, but turbines tend to make positive changes, too.”

And while the prospect of several new turbines in the area has clearly divided local residents, David Jazwa, of Temporis Wind, emphasised that the project was at a very early stage – and that community members would be consulted before any plans were set in stone.

“The project is still in a very early feasibility stage,” he said.

“If we were to proceed with this project further, we would hope to get the community involved at an early stage.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/07/26/locals-in-a-rage-at-wind-turbines-proposal/