Consultation on seven additional turbines for Aberfeldy area

Nov 13 2012 by Perthshire Advertiser, Perthshire Advertiser

Residents are to get an opportunity to find out more about proposals for a seven-turbine windfarm near Aberfeldy.

Perth-based developers I and H Brown are holding the public consultations over two days to share their plans for a site at North Calliachar ahead of making a formal planning application.

The first event is today at Amulree Village Hall.

There will be a second opportunity to view plans of the proposed development on Thursday at Aberfeldy Town Hall, both from 3.30pm-7pm.

The consultation is an essential part of the pre-application process.

In the summer, I and H Brown wrote to councillors to announce that they were looking at erecting seven turbines to generate 21 megawatts of renewable energy annually.

Strathtay Ward 5 councillors John Kellas, Grant Laing and Barbara Vaughan responded cautiously, issuing a joint statement in response to I and H Brown’s letter.

They said: “We will be paying great attention to the proposals for the construction of additional turbines.

Strathbraan residents have already had their lives disrupted by abnormal loads and heavy goods vehicles connected with the construction of the 64 turbines at the Griffin windfarm.

“The construction of the approved 14 turbines at Calliacher and the development of the Beauly to Denny line already adds to this.”

Brown wants to put seven additional 110m-high turbines at North Calliachar near their current 14-turbine construction site off the A826 south of Aberfeldy.

If approved, this would bring the number of turbines back to nearly the number the developers had originally wanted. Lengthy arguments forced the firm to cut back from 27 to 14 structures at Calliachar before their bid was approved in 2010.

Anyone wishing to respond to the consultation events will have until November 29.