June 18, 2016
Scotland

Wind turbine developer appeals to Scottish Government

By Jamie Ross | The Press and Journal | 18 June 2016 | www.pressandjournal.co.uk

A wind turbine developer has lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government in a bid to have a local council decision overturned.

North-east councillors refused Inverurie firm Green Cat Renewables permission for a 262ft turbine on land at Nether Hythie Farm, Mintlaw, in February.

The elected representatives of Peterhead and central Buchan rejected the proposals at a meeting of the Buchan area committee.

They argued that the turbine would be unacceptable in the area because of the cumulative impact which other structures have already made on the landscape.

Aberdeenshire Council’s planning service had earmarked the proposal for approval.

In his report to councillors, Stephen Archer, the authority’s director of infrastructure services, said: “The proposal will have an impact on the character of the local area, both individually and cumulatively, and an impact from some viewpoints.

“However, this impact is, on balance, considered acceptable.”

Green Cat has now taken its case to the Scottish Government in the hope of having the area committee’s original decision overruled.

In its submission to the Planning and Environmental Appeals division of the Scottish Government, Green Cat cited Mr Archer’s finding that the impact of the turbine would be “acceptable”.

It added: “It is the view of the appellant and the planning service that there is ‘medium’ capacity for large turbines in this area.

“The proposal is considered to be well scaled to the particular landforms and landscape characteristics. This led to the planning service recommending the application for approval.

“The appellant therefore contends that there are no valid reasons for refusing this application and respectfully requests Scottish Ministers to approve the application, subject to the usual range of conditions for an application of this scale and nature.”

Green Cat also claimed that the single wind turbine would make a “useful contribution” to the Scottish Government’s target for 500MW of locally and community owned renewables.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/06/18/wind-turbine-developer-appeals-to-scottish-government/