A major green energy scheme which could help safeguard the future of a north-east harbour has been dealt a new blow.
Port chiefs at Fraserburgh have tabled plans for a pair of 250ft wind turbines at the quayside.
The £2million plan is aimed at making money to invest back into harbour activities by generating electricity to power thousands of homes and selling it to the National Grid.
There has already been a formal objection from the Ministry of Defence, which claims the turbines could cause havoc to radar equipment at RAF Buchan, some 20 miles away.
Now civilian air traffic controllers are claiming that the development could give false readings on the radar equipment at Aberdeen Airport. A spokesman said an objection had been lodged after a full technical assessment was made.
He said the turbines could create “false primary plots” on radar.
“A reduction in the radar’s probability of detection, for real aircraft, is also anticipated,” he said.
The harbour plan, which was tabled earlier this year, has had a mixed response from locals.
Aberdeenshire Council planners have received a number of letters and e-mails from town residents about the plan, the majority of whom are against it.
Opponents argue that the turbines will have an “unacceptable” visual impact on the harbour area.
The towers are earmarked for the port’s south breakwater and at the rear of Harbour Road, north of the caravan park.
The scheme was revealed to locals in December and an application for planning consent was tabled in April by Oldmeldrum-based clean energy firm Greet Cat Renewables.
A spokesman for the firm said: “The two turbines will go a long way towards securing an income stream which is independent of the ups and downs of shipping activity.”
He added: “Such diversification of income is a critical element of future harbour development, which in turn increases the value the harbour brings to the local economy.”
A community fund will also be set up to give local groups a chance to apply for money generated by the twin-turbine scheme.
The proposals are still being considered by planning officials and are expected to come before members of Aberdeenshire council’s Banff and Buchan area committee before the end of the year.
No one from the harbour commissioners group was available to speak about the project yesterday.
Harbourmaster Andrew Ironside previously said the turbines had been designed to fit in with the industrial quayside.
A similar, albeit larger scheme, is also planned for Peterhead harbour.
The Blue Toon scheme is said to be crucial for the future development of the harbour.
It is expected to provide a major boost to the local economy.
But it has been criticised by some locals, including members of the community council, who say the turbines will loom over harbourside properties.
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