Aberdeenshire Council has objected to RES’s 105.6MW Hill of Fare onshore wind farm, putting the project’s future in jeopardy.
The Aberdeenshire Council planning service raised six issues with the 16-turbine proposal, which would use turbines with a mix of 180m and 200m tip heights.
The first two were that the development would have an unacceptable impact on the area’s cultural heritage, including the Christchurch and Sunhoney recumbent stone circles, along with significant and widespread visual impact.
The planning service added in its recommendation that mitigation work to address these was unlikely to be effective.
In addition, the service added that insufficient evidence had been provided on the project’s impact on private water supplies at Dunecht Estate and Braeside, on local carbon-rich soils and on bird populations.
However, additional information has since been provided, which could lead to these objections being lifted.
In addition, the project would have an unacceptable impact on aviation, but mitigation may be feasible.
Aberdeenshire Council’s move means the proposal will now undergo a public local inquiry before being determined by the Scottish Government.
RES senior development project manager for Hill of Fare Gavin Shirley commented: “Today was an opportunity for Aberdeenshire Council to seize the opportunities that renewable energy projects, such as Hill of Fare, can deliver and reinforce the region’s credentials as leaders in the just transition.
“We’re therefore naturally disappointed that this opportunity to deliver jobs and investment has not been grasped.
“This project has been carefully designed and sensitively sited in an area identified by the council as having ‘potential for wind farm development’ and if consented, would maximise economic benefit to Aberdeenshire. We have undertaken extensive consultation with the community and key consultees – and gathered a wealth of data from our technical and environmental survey work – all of which has helped us develop a sensitive design which minimises impacts and maximises benefits.”
£150m boost
RES expressed its disappointment, saying that failing to deliver the project would deprive the Aberdeenshire economy of a predicted £156 million boost.
This would include £14m of inward investment during construction – including a predicted 230 construction jobs – around £66m of economic activity linked to operations and maintenance, and a further £50m in business rates to Aberdeenshire Council.
The project would also come with a community benefit package worth £26.4m over the project’s lifetime.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West Alexander Burnett said: “Aberdeenshire Council’s decision to object to the Hill of Fare development sends a resounding message to the Scottish Government that this application should be thrown out for the protection of Royal Deeside.
“These plans, which fire the starting gun on the desecration of our spectacular countryside, have been unanimously rejected by residents, the six neighbouring community councils, and now councillors.”
He added: “The public are rightly furious at this monstrosity of a development and the onus is now on the Scottish Government to listen to their anger and reject these plans.”
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