April 22, 2016
Scotland

University is under fire over wind farm plan

By Maureen Ferrier | Fife Today | 22 April 2016 | www.fifetoday.co.uk

Cameron Community Council is to support objectors to the latest move by St Andrews University to develop a wind farm at Kenly.

The university has applied to Fife Council for permission to connect the wind farm to the grid, but the local community council has described the proposal for the line – through Stravithie, Lathockar and via the A915 into St Andrews – as “irrational”. But the council will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the application and help people who want to object to it.

Gordon Ball, community council chairman, commented: “It beggars belief that the university has spoken to no one locally about its plans before making this application. It’s ignored standard good practice and steamed ahead as if the local communities do not exist.”

But the university responded: “We remain fully committed to this important project which, if it is cleared to go ahead, will protect hundreds of jobs in north east Fife and help cut carbon emissions. At present, however, we’ve yet to agree a radar mitigation solution with the MOD and as long as that remains the case, we don’t believe it would be fair to waste people’s time consulting or engaging in detail on a project which we can’t yet confirm will go ahead. If or when we reach agreement with the MOD, we will be engaging fully with local communities and businesses.”

The university was granted permission for the six-turbine development on condition that a radar mitigation scheme was in place before work started on the site to protect operations at Leuchars. No scheme is yet in place, and earlier this year Fife Council refused a bid by the university to start work on the site ahead of agreement being reached.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/04/22/university-is-under-fire-over-wind-farm-plan/