Landscaping proves sticking point for Scottish Government wind farm proposal

Argyll and Bute Council officers had recommended that councillors agree that the authority would not object to the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit proposal for the structures, which could reach as high as 180 metres.

 

But concerns were raised about the effects on the landscape at Loch Awe, with the site located approximately 6km (3.7 miles) northwest of Inveraray and 4.5km (2.7 miles) east of Dalavich, with discussion following on how to provide the feedback.

 

The debate took place at a meeting of the council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday May 22.

 

A report in advance of the meeting paraphrased a landscape consultant as saying: “It is not considered that appropriate design mitigation has been applied in line with National Planning Framework 4 Policy 11e (ii) and the significant adverse effects of the proposal could be mitigated to some degree by improving its appearance from key views.”

 

The applicant was paraphrased as saying: “Note that the review states ‘All wind farm developments will incur significant adverse landscape and visual effects and this proposal is no different in this respect’.

 

“Extensive work has gone into the design to develop a layout that contributes positively to carbon reduction targets, maximises energy yield whilst respecting technical and environmental constraints including ecological, ornithological, hydrological, cultural heritage and ground conditions. It is not proposed to make any further changes to the design at this time, as requested in the review.”

 

Oban North and Lorn Councillor Kieron Green, the committee’s chair, said: “In the past we have put in a holding objection, pending resolving a few issues. Is there a particular reason why the holding objection, pending changes to the design, was not considered this time?

 

“There have been no objections put in to us, and we are actually reaching a point where communities are suffering from consultation fatigue on wind farm developments.

 

“There are so many, and we have heard about the list of consented ones and ones which are in the pipeline, that communities lose track of what is happening.

 

“Community councils are being approached and nothing happens for a year or two. It just so happens that last week at two community councils, I mentioned this farm was up for consideration.

 

“They had members present, some of whom are very knowledgeable, and had no knowledge of this. I think people have not responded simply because it has got lost in the deluge of consultations which have been coming to them at different stages.”

 

However, Inveraray Community Council gave its support for the application at the beginning of this month on the basis that the project will create jobs for local people; community benefit might include funding grants for distribution to the local community; an influx of construction workers would benefit the local economy, by spending on accommodation, eating out, visiting local attractions; and investing in clean energy helps to provide a more sustainable future for the next generation. 

 

Helensburgh and Lomond South Councillor Paul Kennedy added: “You are giving us a whole catalogue of reasons to object to this, with different angles blocking views, even things suggested as mitigations. Why do we not just object to it instead of squaring the circle?”

 

Reviewing officer Sandra Davies said: “I appreciate that when you consider the advice of the landscape consultant, that is how it looks, because it does sound quite negative due to a lot of adverse effects being referred to.”

 

It was then agreed to object to the proposal unless the mitigation work referred to by the landscape consultant was undertaken.

 

The application was originally lodged with Argyll and Bute Council in April 2023.

 

The site of the proposed wind farm is the same as the ‘Ardchonnel’ wind farm proposal which was refused at appeal in September 2015.

 

Overall, the Reporter at the time, considered that the landscape and visual impacts would produce unacceptable significant adverse effects because of the poor design relationship between the proposal and An Suidhe, and that these impacts were sufficient to outweigh the benefits of the proposal.