February 24, 2015
Scotland

Offshore windfarm cables to be diverted to protect farmland

24 February 2015 | www.thecourier.co.uk

Cabling associated with multi-million-pound offshore windfarms will likely be rerouted to protect Angus farmland.

The infrastructure is associated with the Seagreen Alpha and Bravo developments planned east of Angus, which were among four offshore windfarms granted Scottish government consent last October.

The Forth and Tay region schemes will have enough generating capacity to power 1.4 million homes, with Seagreen involving up to 150 turbines and a capacity of 1,050 megawatts.

In November, Angus Council granted permission in principle for the electrical transmission infrastructure, which incorporates a cabling route between Carnoustie and Tealing, and although the exact route is yet to be determined councillors are being asked to consider a change in the vicinity of Balhungie Farm near Carnoustie to avoid poly-tunnelling and irrigation infrastructure.

The council’s head of planning and place, Vivien Smith, said: “Angus Council has granted planning permission for a cable route extending from the foreshore at Carnoustie to a proposed substation site at Tealing, and that permission remains extant.

“This application seeks permission for a realignment of a small section of that overall route.

“While the development would give rise to a number of environmental and amenity impacts, I do not consider the impacts associated with the realigned route would be any greater than those associated with the approved route.”

She added: “The applicant has indicated that should permission be granted for the alternative route subject of this application, it would be implemented alongside the extant permission for the larger route following approval of all matters specified in conditions.

“Whilst the proposed realigned route is acceptable, I do not consider that it would be desirable to have a situation whereby the work and environmental impacts associated with both routes could occur in the vicinity of Balhungie.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/02/24/offshore-windfarm-cables-to-be-diverted-to-protect-farmland/