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Strathy South wind farm should have four fewer turbines, says Highland Council report
Credit: By Gordon Calder | John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier | 03 June 2021 | www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk ~~
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The proposed wind farm at Strathy South should have four fewer turbines, taking the number from 39 to 35. That is the recommendation which will be before the North Planning Applications Committee next week when SSE Generation Ltd apply for consent to vary the blade tip height from 135 to up to 200 metres under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Maximum consented output would increase from 133 to 208 megawatts.
The application will be determined by the Scottish Government but Highland Council is being asked for its view as a statutory consultee.
A report for committee members recommends no objection is raised but suggests four of the turbines should be removed along with the associated infrastructure.
It says: “The principle of a wind farm has been established in this location. The key consideration therefore is whether the proposed increase in the size of the turbines is deemed acceptable. The effect of the increase in blade tip height is most obvious when considering matters of landscape and visual impact. For the most part the increase in blade tip height is acceptable, including the introduction of aviation lighting.”
However, it states: “There are some concerns with the way in which the increased blade tip height emphasises design issues with the consented turbines through the horizontal extent of the scheme being more noticeable and stacking and overlapping of turbines in some views being exacerbated.
“While accepting it is not possible to design a wind farm from all angles, it is considered that the composition of the scheme in those views from the north in particular are important to the acceptability of the development in the landscape.”
As a result it suggests the removal of four of the turbines.
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