July 5, 2015
Scotland

Wind turbine plans going in circles

Arbroath Herald | 05 July 2015 | www.arbroathherald.co.uk

The Bairds Malt single wind turbine planning application is still dividing opinion as an “extension of time agreement” to July 31 has been agreed.

The proposed turbine, which would reach a height of 55 metres to the hub and 77 metres to the blade tip, would be located at Bairds Malt, Peasiehill Road, at Elliot Industrial Estate, Arbroath.

Lodged in December, the objective of the development, from a Bairds Malt perspective, is to help minimise the company’s high energy costs and generate on-site renewable energy, reducing consumption of electricity from the National Grid by one third. Green Cat Renewables (GCR) undertook the environmental assessments and complied the Environmental Report which accompanied the application.

Against a backdrop of both public support and condemnation, the Council’s Landscape Officer responded to the application on April 17.

After a detailed response, the officer concluded: “Unfortunately, the proposed size of turbine close to the coast; Arbroath and a number of houses would lead to significant adverse landscape, visual and cumulative effects.”

This prompted a reply from GCR which finished: “While there are some significant impacts predicted with the construction and operation of a 77m tall wind turbine on the south-eastern edge of Arbroath, these impacts were found to be relatively localised.”

This failed to convince the Landscape Officer, who reiterated his previous objections on June 29.

A Herald reader, describing himself as a “concerned member of the community,” said: “It is going to be a major landmark in the area and people don’t seem to realise how significant this development will be on the landscape.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/07/05/wind-turbine-plans-going-in-circles/