The renewables firm behind plans for a controversial Sutherland windfarm rejected by Highland Council has appealed to the Scottish Government.
Wind Prospect Developments wants to erect 13 turbines up to 377ft high to the west of Craggiemore on Tressady Estate, north-west of Rogart, on behalf of French energy giant EDF.
The scheme was blocked at a Highland Council planning committee earlier this year, but the developer has lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government’s planning department. The move has left local objectors disappointed. They fear their homes will be surrounded by turbines.
There are already 14 windfarms in the area which have been built or have secured planning permission, including two extensions, and more are under consideration.
Yesterday, Alastair Gilchrist, of East Langwell, Rogart – one of the 33 objectors to the scheme – said he hoped the appeal would fail.
He said: “The feeling seems to be anti-windfarms on land just now and we seem to have rather a lot of them in this area. I’m hoping it will be rejected again. We’re within a mile from the nearest turbine to our house. When I look out my house just now I can see three turbines at Lairg. If I look out the other side I can see Kilbruar and from the garden I can see Gordonbush and Rosehall. We’re pretty surrounded.”
He said there would be an “enormous amount of disruption” from the construction traffic which would travel past homes in the area.
In its application, Wind Prospect Development said its scheme would be a “visually coherent and compact development within the open landscape” and while it would have an impact on properties, it would not make any of them an “unattractive” place to live.
Highland Council’s north planning application committee rejected the development by seven votes to two in February on the grounds that the visual impact would be detrimental for properties in the area. Wind Prospect Developments was not available for comment yesterday.
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