February 20, 2020
Scotland

Villagers set for ‘re-run’ of wind farm fight on edge of Glen Affric

By Scott Maclennan | The Inverness courier | 19 February 2020 | www.inverness-courier.co.uk

Proposals to build a 46-turbine wind farm near Tomich that would be visible as far away as the Black Isle, Alness and the Fort William area have been attacked by locals who fear it could damage tourism.

German firm Vento Ludens proposes erecting turbines almost 150 metres high in a scenic area overlooking Glen Affric.

The company says it will help meet Scotland’s climate change targets and provide as much as £1 million a year to local communities.

But consultation documents show some residents are unhappy with the development, having already defeated previous plans to build six turbines as part of the Beinn Mhor wind farm in 2015.

Tomich-based Guisachan Holidays said the application “is basically a re-run” of the earlier plan and there remain a number of environmental and planning factors against the development.

“The key reasons for the rejection of the original proposal in the appeal decision were the unacceptable adverse landscape and visual effects on the Glen Affric National Scenic Area (NSA) and Special Landscape Area, the similar adverse effects on the Central Highlands Wild Land Area (WLA) and various construction traffic related adverse effects,” they said. “The adverse landscape and visual effects arose from the location of the proposed wind farm.”

Fasnakyle Wind Farm project manager Matthew Haughton said: “Our initial proposals are designed to maximise the renewable power generated from the site whilst minimising visual impacts on key viewpoints in the local area. The project could deliver a community benefit fund in excess of £1 million a year and we are keen to explore local communities’ appetite to take an ownership stake in the project.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/02/20/villagers-set-for-re-run-of-wind-farm-fight-on-edge-of-glen-affric/