June 9, 2015
Scotland

Macritch Hill windfarm plans could suffer another blow

By Kirsty McIntosh | The Courier | 8 June 2015 | www.thecourier.co.uk

Councillors could be about to deliver another blow to a bid to build a major windfarm on the Perthshire/Angus border.

Officers advising in Perth and Kinross Council’s development management committee are urging representatives to lodge a formal objection to the project.

An application for 18 turbines between Glen Prosen and Glen Isla was submitted by developer Eneco UK in January and this is under consideration by Scottish Ministers.

The site is approximately two and a half miles from the Perth and Kinross border and has been named Macritch Hill after the hill just east of the Scottish Water reservoir.

Each of the turbines would be 125 metres in height and would be visible as far away as Ben Vrackie, near Pitlochry, and Birnam Hill, Dunkeld – a distance of around 18 miles.

If Perth and Kinross Council were to object, it would force the Scottish Government to hold a public local inquiry before the plan could be determined.

Although the project will not directly affect Perth and Kinross Council in relation to roads, noise or heritage, Nick Brian, quality development manager, is recommending opposition to the project on a formal basis in a report to be put before councillors on Wednesday.

He said: “Members will be aware that there is considerable pressure for windfarms in this locale.

“There are a number of operational and approved windfarms in the vicinity of the application along with others to be considered.

“It is requested that members of the committee support a recommendation of objection to the proposed Macritch Wind Farm on land at Black Hill/Saddlehill, Glen Isla, Angus.

“The consequence of a council objection is that the proposal would be subject to a public local inquiry.”

His reasons for advocating an objection are that the windfarm “would result in unacceptable visual impacts” on the basis of its location, scale and layout.

He added that its proximity to other windfarms in the area would “give rise to unacceptable cumulative visual impacts”.

Angus Council members have already voted to lodge a formal objection.

Councillors agreed with a recommendation from the authority’s head of planning, Vivien Smith, that the proposed development “would give rise to significant and adverse landscape and visual impacts and also to significant and adverse cumulative landscape and visual impacts”.

Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Natural Heritage, the John Muir Trust and Kirriemuir, Inveresk and Stanley community councils have also objected to the proposal.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/06/09/macritch-hill-windfarm-plans-could-suffer-another-blow/