In July last year we received a letter informing us that Clackmannan Council had rejected Wind Prospect's application to build Rhodders Wind Farm on the basis that it was contrary to almost every part of the county's Structue Plan. Here are just three of the reasons for rejection:
1. The proposed development (even in amended form) is contrary to the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Structure Plan 2002 and 2004 and the Local Plan 2004.
2. It is contrary to the Structure Plan ENV2.2 in that it cannot be accommodated satisfactorily without adversely affecting the overall quality of the Ochil Hills Area of Great Landscape Value to a material degree.
3. The proposed development is contrary to Structure Plan Policy ENV3 which provides that in areas of Countryside development will be permitted only where the proposed activity is dependent upon a countryside location and that in terms of function, siting and design, it is suitable for its particular location and should respect and preserve features contributing to local character. The proposed development introduces a further range of large man-made structures into the countryside to the significant detriment of the landscape adversely impacting upon the visual amenity of this countryside Area of Great Landscape Value and thus fails to respect and preserve the local character of this countryside area.
Today another letter arrived informing us - surprise, surprise - that this had been overturned by the Scottish Government. The assault on the Ochils, as eleswhere, continues. (The map shows nine turbines but the amended application was for six.)
The Frandy Moss application is still being considered but there are no prizes for guessing how that will go.
8 comments:
It's the old story - once they get a foothold, they keep coming back on the basis that the area is ruined anyway, so a few more turbines won't make any difference.
Looks like another couple of years of access restrictions - at least the basic infrastructure is already in place such as the road up Silver Glen and the bridge at Backhill Farm
Are you familiar with the writing of Rchard Bernard ? I wonder what he would have made of this.
Hello Oldmortality. It is, regrettably, just as you say and I believe there is also an application for two turbines on Common Hill. No, I'm not familiar with Richard Bernard's writings so do enlighten me.
Richard was a native of Coalsnaughton who worked as a railwayman on the old Devon Valley Railway.He was a keen amateur naturalist and prodigious walker in the Ochils and beyond.There being no blogs in those days, he wrote up many of his walks as articles in one of the local papers.Many of these articles were collected and published by Clackmannan District Libraries They used to be for sale, along with other local interest publications, in the "old" lbrary (where the big dentists is now) in Alloa, but i have not seen them in the "new" place round the corner. If you are interested, you could borrow mine.
Thanks for that. I've (or rather my wife) found "In the Quiet Places" on Amazon - now ordered. And thanks for your kind offer to lend me yours.
Hi Gibson,
Without straying into potentially litigious areas, do you happen to know who is the landowner and to what extent are they 'benefitting' from the development?
Hi Dave
I can't say for sure but certainly Backhill Farm below Burnfoot Hill seems to have acquired a new barn since the turbines arrived, but that may be coincidence. I'm sure fellow members of The Friends of the Ochils will be able to tell me who owns what in the Ochils.
When the Green Knowes wind farm was approved in 2006 the farmer proudly told us that he of course was 'one of those bad people'. We couldn't help but agree.
Hi Gibson. Doing a bit of catching up here.
This is deeply depressing news.
You're absolutely right, of course. Once they've got a toehold, expect to see the leg and body following through.
:-(
Hi Alan. Depressing, but expected. The Beauly- Denny pylons are now also visible towards Muthil.
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