May 11, 2021
Scotland

Renewed planning permission sought for Cunningsburgh wind turbines

Chris Cope, local democracy reporter | Shetland News | 10 May 2021 | www.shetnews.co.uk

Planning permission is being sought again for three wind turbines in Cunningsburgh.

The 67-metre high turbines are planned to have a capacity of 2.7 megawatts.

The development at Culterfield was previously granted planning permission in 2012 and 2015, but on both occasions the consent lapsed.

Director of developer Freelight (Shetland) Ltd Brian Halcrow said the current application was for a renewal of planning permission.

The proposed site is around 900 metres west of the main A970 road which runs through Cunningsburgh.

Back in 2015 Shetland Islands Council planners said due to the “appropriate siting of the proposed wind turbines, access road and associated equipment, and given the separation distance from sensitive receptors, the proposed development will have no unacceptable adverse impacts on neighbouring land uses, nor upon the natural or built environment”.

In the latest planning application, the developer reiterated that the project is dependent on securing a grid connection in order to generate and export electricity.

“Due to the uncertainty of timescale regarding obtaining such a connection, we request that should planning be granted, the permission would be for five years rather than the standard three years,” it added.

Meanwhile, developer Peel Energy has begun discharging more planning conditions for its consented 12-turbine wind farm on the outskirts of Lerwick.

However, the Manchester-based company told Shetland News that there was no real update with the plans, and that the company was still working towards another bid for the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference subsidy scheme.

It comes after a set of three new replacement wind turbine blades were taken to Burradale Wind Farm at the end of last week.

Operator Shetland Aerogenerators said it was part of “ongoing investment” into the five-turbine development.

The new set of blades are sourced from another site, and they have been professionally refurbished to give them another ten years of life.

The Burradale blades which are being replaced will similarly be refurbished and potentially enjoy a new lease of life on another wind development.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/05/11/renewed-planning-permission-sought-for-cunningsburgh-wind-turbines/