Solar farm plan rejected by North Ayrshire councillors
Plans for a 9.25 hectare solar farm on Cumbrae have been thrown out by North Ayrshire councillors.
The controversial planning application from Comsol Energy for the solar farm, electricity sub-station and battery storage was unanimously rejected by elected members at a recent planning committee meeting.
Arran councillor Timothy Billings put forward a motion to refuse the application because of the detrimental impact it would have on the habitat, the tourist economy and landscape.
The proposal, near Wee Minnemoer in the centre of Great Cumbrae, received 350 written comments, with 98 per cent of them against the proposal.
A 100-strong protest was also staged on the site earlier this year where residents showed their disapproval of the project.
Architect and local resident Gregor Harvie said: “People don’t object to solar power on our island in principle but what they object to is this particular proposal for the disruption of a beauty spot and an important habitat.
“The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate the locational need which they have never done.
“Why put this on a local beauty spot next to a picnic area alongside the core path and alongside land which has Scottish biodiversity habitats? Eight of the breeds listed appear on the Scottish biodiversity list.”
The solar farm has parallels to a proposed solar farm development on Arran by Arran Community Renewables, recently featured in the Banner. However, the Arran equivalent would be community owned, on an eminently suitable site in Lamlash which has widespread government and local support.
Speaking at the planning committee meeting, North Coast councillor and group leader Tom Marshall said: “This is the first time we have had a unanimous view. All elected members in the area, Councillors Alan Hill, Eleanor Collier, Todd Ferguson and I agree we should oppose this application.
“It is significant we are from different political parties but represent the same people.
“Millport and Cumbrae have a fragile economy with a declining population. It should not be the subject of unwelcome industrialisation in the form of a solar farm, which would do nothing for the economy of the island and create no significant jobs.
“It is opposed by hundreds of residents.
“Tourism is a key generator of jobs and we want to ensure this is protected. We don’t feel a solar farm would help Millport.
“The location is inappropriate. Great Cumbrae has a special landscape and this will impact on the area. It is situated in part of the Barbary local nature conservation site and would impact on that area. The Scottish Wildlife Trust agrees. Cumbrae attracts 750,000 tourists or residents a year and the inner circle area could not cope with the volume of traffic it would create.”
Representatives from Comsol Energy attended the meeting and asked elected members to support their application, pointing out a similar proposal was approved in 2016 and that concerns by residents had been answered.
Had the proposal been approved and constructed, the solar farm would have occupied an area of land approximately the size of 20 football fields.
‘People don’t object to solar power on our island in principle but what they object to is this particular proposal for the disruption of a beauty spot and an important habitat.’