WIND-FARM PROLIFERATION
SURROUNDED BY WIND-FARMS
A VIEW FROM LOCH AWE
Apart from the usual run-of-the-mill Community Council business, Avich & Kilchrenan Community Council are overrun with Environmental Assessments and Scoping Reports for proposed wind-farms around the beautiful Loch Awe. As Secretary, I was finding it all a bit too much, therefore, a representative of the Community had to be co-opted on to the C.C. to deal with this problem which never seems to go away. At the moment, there are eight wind-farm applications at different stages in the planning system. They are all proposed for the Loch Awe surroundings.
Beinn Ghlass, one of the smaller wind-farms consisting of fourteen small turbines, has been in operation for some years now. After a Public Inquiry, An Suidhe, a twenty-four turbine wind-farm, was passed by the Scottish Executive, subject to twenty-five conditions. This wind-farm is now under construction. The application, by Green Power for Carraig Gheal wind-farm in Kilchrenan, is with the Scottish Executive who will make the final decision. As consultees, Argyll & Bute Council passed the application following a site visit, although the Planning Officer for Argyll and Bute Council has recommended that it be refused. This application is for twenty turbines, the maximum height being 125 metres. Natural Power has now submitted their application for their proposal to build and operate a twenty-two turbine wind-farm at Shira (Brackley Farm), near Dalmally. The maximum height of these turbines would also be 125 metres. This application will also be decided by the Scottish Executive with Argyll and Bute Council being consultees. North British Wind-power has now submitted their Scoping Report to the Council for a windfarm adjacent to Beinn Ghlas. (Beinn Ghlas II). This is not an S36 application (over 50 MW), therefore the decision for approval or refusal will be up to Argyll and Bute Council. The company’s proposal is to install twenty turbines, maximum height 125 metres. The site is situated to the east of the existing Beinn Ghlas wind-farm above Taynuilt. A Planning Application has been submitted by Wind Prospect to build a fourteen turbine wind-farm (93 metres in height) on Argyll Estates, above Loch Awe. This proposed development is known as Stacain. Argyll & Bute Council will make the final decision. Npower Renewables have lodged their Scoping Report with the Scottish Executive for 60 turbines at Ederline. The Scoping Report for Tullich Wind-farm, opposite Kilchrenan on Loch Awe, is now with the Scottish Executive for sixty wind turbines. The energy company is Saville. Marilyn Henderson, Secretary, Avich & Kilchrenan Community Council. 8th January 2007