Thumbs down to windfarm

DUMFRIES and Galloway Council is next week expected to agree to formally object to a windfarm near Newton Stewart.

Planning officials have prepared a detailed report on Energiekontor UK’s proposal for 13 turbines at Glenvernoch, seven kilometres from the town.

And they have found against the scheme, due to the scale of it, the impact of its lighting, and the cumulative impact with other windfarms in the area.

In addition, major concerns have been raised about the impact on the area’s Dark Skies Park if it were to go ahead.

In the officer’s report it’s noted: “The proposed aviation lighting would cause unacceptable levels of visual intrusion within the Galloway Dark Skies Park at distances of up to 14km from the windfarm.”

The proposed site for the windfarm covers open moorland near the Cree Valley, immediately north of Penninghame Forest and near Loch Ochiltree and Glentrool.

An external landscape architect acting on behalf of the council said: “Taking account of national and local landscape and visual policies as well as location and design guidance, the proposed development would merit an objection.”

They also found ‘significant local and regional or further reaching effects’, including on the residential amenity of at least 13 residential dwellings, users of the Galloway Forest Park,

A full report on the matter has been prepared for next week’s planning committee.

It adds: “The Glenvernoch proposal is contrary to policy due to i) its impacts on communities; ii) significant landscape and visual impacts which extend beyond localised areas or interests and have not been sufficiently mitigated through design; iii) impacts on long distance walking routes and scenic routes; and cumulative impacts.

“Whilst it is recognised that some benefits would arise as a result of this proposal, it is considered that, in the balance of considerations, these are greatly outweighed by the significant harms identified.

“The conclusion is that the council should object to this proposed development in its consultation response to the Scottish Ministers.”

The matter will be discussed by councillors on Wednesday and their final stance will be sent to the Scottish Government, who are making the ultimate decision on the windfarm.