April 9, 2019
Scotland

Council expected to reject heightened turbine plans at Binn Farm

By Ross Gardiner | The Courier | April 9 2019 | www.thecourier.co.uk

Councillors have been urged to reject plans to increase the height of wind turbines at a Perthshire waste management site.

Binn Group won approval for four 115m high turbines at its Glenfarg base in 2015, despite the application attracting 75 objections.

Now, the firm has come back to Perth and Kinross Council with a request for permission to add a further nine metres onto the approved plans.

Officers have recommended councillors refuse the bid, saying the designs are “environmentally unacceptable”.

Scottish Natural Heritage has told the local authority “the proposal would result in significant adverse visual and landscape and cumulative impacts”.

A report by officers to Wednesday’s meeting of the planning and development management committee says the increased height of the turbines would “exacerbate the landscape and visual impact of the development from key viewpoints to an unacceptable level”.

It goes on: “The proposal will result in the hubs and blades of the turbines breaching the skyline and ridgelines from key viewpoints including Kinnoull Hill, Abernethy, Pitlour Hill and West Lomond.”

Binn is working with Edinburgh-based Green Cat Renewables on the proposal.

The company also wants to build a new substation, temporary construction compound and parking at its Binn Eco Park.

Almost 40 objections to the proposals have been received from neighbouring residents and businesses, including Abernethy and District and Earn Community Councils.

Critics say the turbines would not be in keeping with the local development plan (LDP).

Opponents are also concerned about the visual impact and potential noise from the blades.

In January this year, Perth and Kinross Council knocked back plans for a new wind turbine at Aviva on the edge of the M90.

The council will make the final decision on the Binn scheme at Wednesday’s meeting, which is due to start at 10am at 2 High Street.

Binn Group was contacted for comment but did not respond before today’s edition went to print.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/04/09/council-expected-to-reject-heightened-turbine-plans-at-binn-farm/