Hundreds slam turbine plan
Bid sparks fury from residents
A firm’s bid to heighten four turbines planned at Binn Farm near Glenfarg has met strong opposition.
Over 250 people have signed a petition urging Perth and Kinross Council not to consider letting Green Cat Renewables build the already approved turbines any higher than 115 metres while another 36 individuals have sent in detailed objections.
And community councils, for Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, have sent objections too with the latter claiming Green Cat Renewables is using dated information to justify heightening the turbines by another nine metres.
The petition, set up on the change.org website by a Jane Donaldson, claims the effects of the four taller turbines on locals will be “horrendous”.
It says: “It is recommended that turbines of this scale should not be placed less than 2km from a settlement (which could be as little as one home) - however, this fact was ignored by councillors ... in 2015 when they granted permission for four turbines at 114.9m.
“This was never implemented as they [previous applicants Element Power] missed out on subsidies so would not get the vast government payout. With this new application to increase the turbines by a further nine metres, the local residents will be unable to live safely and comfortably in their homes due to adverse noise and shadow flicker.
“This is a beautiful, quiet place where people enjoy the peace and beauty of the countryside.”
Meanwhile the chair of Abernethy and District Community Council has said: “The applicant confirms that this is a new application but is endeavouring to rely on key documents submitted by the previous applicant in 2014.
“Information presented within the previous application [confirmed] that 52 dwellings will experience ‘significant and adverse visual effects from the proposed development’. We believe that the impact of these larger proposed turbines will prove even greater.
“Abernethy Glen is enjoyed by many people who come to enjoy the area, visiting local viewpoints at Castle Law and Pitmedden Forest, all of which will be devastated by views of the wind turbines.”
But Green Cat Renewables say: “Whilst the Binn Wind Farm would be a prominent feature for some local range receptors, the increase in height from 115m to 124m is not particularly apparent.
“Only increasing the hub height and keeping the rotor diameter the same allows the development to have much of the same landscape and visual impacts as the approved scheme. A nine metre increase is fairly modest and does not cause any further landscape and visual effects.”
The application awaits a decision from PKC.