Strathdearn Community Council has responded to the first of the new batch of wind farm applications. A letter has been sent to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, outlining our concerns about the Balnespick application. The letter was prepared by the Community Council with the help of William Gilfillan, consultant, and is based on the recent Windfarm Survey results
The full 16-page letter can be downloaded from a link below this short extract summarising our objections:
1. Significant adverse effects on landscape and visual impact both alone and in combination with the other twelve existing wind farms and five proposed wind farms associated with Strathdearn Community Council area.
2. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) does not contain the necessary information to allow full assessment of direct, indirect, long-term and permanent cumulative impacts.
3. Contrary to Highland Council’s spatial planning guidance on the basis that it would be inappropriate and have significant negative effects on scale, the built environment, landscape context, perceptual aspects, visual amenity, and landscape value.
4. The developer has failed to carry out a sufficiently robust assessment of the proposed development’s impact on Golden Eagle and Golden Plover. This assessment must include a comprehensive cumulative impact analysis, considering all existing, consented, and proposed developments within Natural Heritage Zone 10 that could affect these protected species. Without such an analysis, the EIA falls short of the requirements under relevant environmental legislation and guidance.
5. The developer has failed to comply with Scottish Government policies on Biodiversity Net Gain.
6. The developer has significantly underplayed the level of visitor numbers currently accessing Strathdearn and taken no account of future visitor numbers associated with two nationally significant visitor attraction developments in the area.
