Largs & Millport Weekly News | News | Storm of protest for local wind farm

Thursday, 16th October, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 14th November, 2007 10:40

Storm of protest for local wind farm

A popular hill with local walkers has been targeted by a wind farm company for five giant turbines which will be visible around Fairlie, it has been revealed.

Natural Power carried out a presentation at Fairlie Community Council in which plans and maps of where the new turbines will be positioned were handed out to members of the public.

However, there was fierce opposition to the development from villagers and community councillors. Fairlie secretary Steve Graham said that as the area fell on Clyde Regional Park land, it was against the aims and purposes of a national park. Mr Graham admitted a sense of deja vu after the community council launched a successful battle against a giant wind farm at Hunterston which was won by public appeal four years ago.

The turbines would be 125m in height to the tip and 80m to the hub.

Villager and local historian Frank Donnachie said: “Signposts have been erected by keen hillwalkers directing them up Kaim Hill and you are going to obliterate it. It is a non-runner.”

Mr Graham said: “What is the point of having a regional park if you are going to industrialise it.”

Community councillor Rita Holmes, who said she was not against wind farms, pointed out that the area was also a highly popular spot with hang-gliders.

Nancy McLean, representing National Power resources, said that the site had undergone “complex wind modelling” and that particular site was selected to pick up the wind currents, with proposals for the development to be up and running for 2010. She said that the turbines would be seen in the local area. One of the important factors which was pointed out at the meeting was that the wind farm would be able to hook up to the national grid because of the good connections as the government pushes for renewable energy targets.

However, resident Hugh Maclean voiced his concerns about the ‘visual intrusion’ of such a scenic site for such a small development being only 15 MW.

Mrs Holmes said: “I don’t think Kaim Hill is a good place, I would have been quite happy to see a wind farm at Hunterston.”

Resident John McPhie was concerned that other wind farms sites had been extended around the country and asked if this was a possibility at a later stage for the Kaim Hill but was told there would not be enough space and would take away from the landscape.

However, Mr McPhie replied: “You are not putting it up for the artistic value.”

Under questioning, Nancy McLean said: “I am coming from the side that I do like wind farms and turbines. I don’t think I have sold my soul. There are two sides to every story and everybody has the right to voice their opinion and it is the elected members of the community who who will make their judgement. I feel we have done our best to come up with a design for a wind farm.”