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Windfarm project scaled back “to get project right”
Credit: Written by Rita Campbell - 22/03/2016 | www.energyvoice.com ~~
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An energy company is seeking permission for a smaller windfarm above an Argyll village after locals raised concerns about the impact on their views.
EDF Energy Renewables (EDF ER) wanted to put an 18-turbine windfarm near Ardrishaig, where there is already a nine-turbine farm owned by Eon.
Now EDF ER has submitted a scoping report to Argyll and Bute Council for its proposed windfarm at Cruach Brenfield, near Ardrishaig that includes an option to reduce the number of turbines planned for the site.
A previous proposal was for 18 turbines with a total capacity of 59 megawatts (MW) and was submitted to the Scottish Government for consideration in May 2014.
The scoping report is now suggesting 11 turbines are considered, with a total capacity of up to 38 MW.
Consultations were carried out with the local community, the council and other agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage. The consultation exercise raised issues in relation to the landscape and visual impact of the windfarm.
EDF ER will carry out further consultation with the local community on its plans for the windfarm.
Darren Cuming, onshore wind development manager at EDF ER said: “Through the process of consultation on this proposal we have listened to local opinion and also statutory consultees and taken their views on board.
“We remain committed to that approach and want to submit revised proposals which will achieve the scale of project which is right for the site. The scoping exercise is important in making sure that we address all remaining issues in our revised application.”
Edward Laughton, chairman of Ardrishaig Community Council, said: “We don’t know which turbines will go and which ones they intend to keep.
“We objected to the previous proposal for 18 turbines because of the cumulative effect.
“There is already a windfarm with nine turbines nearby at Inverneil.
“Apart from the fact that they are going to be reducing the amount of turbines, that is all we know. We will have to look again and see if it is going to be acceptable or not acceptable.
“If you look at Argyll and Bute as a whole, particularly Kintyre, there are a lot of windfarms, but none of them are above a settlement, a village or a town.”
The intention is to submit a revised planning application later this year and, as the revised scheme will be less than 50MW, the planning application would be submitted to Argyll and Bute Council.
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