Turnberry turbines image branded misleading
A MOCK-UP picture depicting how an offshore wind farm could look from the fairways of Turnberry golf course has been branded “meaningless and misleading” by the Scottish Government.
Waters off the Ayrshire coast have been identified as one of 21 areas for potential future wind farm development, with the equivalent of 116 square miles of the Firth of Clyde earmarked as a possible spot for green energy investment.
Struan Stevenson, an MEP for Scotland, issued an image which he claimed showed how the offshore turbines would look if sited 3.5 miles off the coast from the course, with views of Ailsa Craig obscured by the structures.
The Conservative claimed the image depicts the “true horror” of any development.
The Scottish Government
future considers offshore wind and tidal power to be central to meeting its ambitious renew- ables targets and a driver of inward investment.
Documents state 1500 large-scale offshore wind turbines will be built between 2014 and 2022, the numbers perhaps “increasingly dramatically”. Mr Stevenson said if the entire scoping area off the Ayrshire coast was designated as an offshore windfarm, it would be the biggest in the world.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “No such applica tion has been received and the illustration produced is therefore meaningless and misleading.
“Search areas are simply broad areas under consideration by Marine Scotland for possible future offshore renewables development plans.
“We are at an early stage in the planning process, which will involve consultation with statutory consultees and local communities.”