June 3, 2015
Scotland

Campaigners prepare for another fight against windfarm

By David Kerr | The Press and Journal | 3 June 2015 | www.pressandjournal.co.uk

A north community is preparing for another battle after new plans for a windfarm near Inverness – in the same area where a larger development had previously been refused.

New plans for 10 turbines in Glen Convinth near Kiltarlity have been released by Druim Ba Sustainable Energy – the same company who had previously applied for 23 devices in the same area.

The original plan prompted a large outcry from local residents and was refused permission by the Scottish Government in 2013 after a public campaign and opposition from Highland Council and local community councils.

Local campaigners flew a red blimp over a property nearest the planned location to show how tall the proposed structures would be and opposition to the plans prompted a public inquiry ahead of the decision by energy minister Fergus Ewing, who said that the turbines would have “significant adverse” impact on the landscape.

The new plans were revealed after a proposal of application notice was sent to affected community councils.

In it the company say that the development would be built on the Blairmore Estate in common with the initial application, each standing 413ft tall.

Denise Davies, who led the campaign against the original Druim Ba, said: “The shame of it all is their lack of empathy with the local community that was wholly against their first proposal.

“Their arrogance and obsessive pursuit of a development that, despite being slightly smaller and moved slightly to the south-west, could be perceived as inhuman.

“So far I have yet to speak to a single person about their new proposal that has thought, ‘Yes, this one should be OK’.

“The fact of the matter is the local people, the Highland Council, and the Scottish Government all agreed that that area was unsuitable for a wind farm and Druim Ba should cut its loses, move on, and leave the community in peace.”

Fellow campaigner Lyndsey Ward said the community would “never accept” the windfarm.

She added: “This recent action by Druim Ba Sustainable Energy is abhorrent.

“They were in no doubt last time they tried for a wind farm in Glen Convinth that the community was solidly against them.

“Here they are again like some recurring nightmare fully prepared to subject the same people to more months and years of misery, stress and financial cost.”

The company did not respond to requests for comment yesterday.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/06/03/campaigners-prepare-for-another-fight-against-windfarm/