Council objects to wind farm with turbines 'like London's Gherkin'

Perth and Kinross Council’s Planning and Placemaking Committee has unanimously chosen to object to the Glentarken Wind Farm proposal.

The proposal – put before councillors on Wednesday, September 3 – was for SSE Renewables to erect up to 12 wind turbines similar in height to The Gherkin in London.

Convener Ian Massie tabled a motion to object on the grounds of the “significant and irreversible harm” it would do to the nationally and locally important landscape.

The proposed development site sits within the Drummond Estate between St Fillans in Perthshire and Lochearnhead in Stirling Council area. The turbines would be within Perth and Kinross, while the site entrance and part of the access track would be within the Stirling area.

The application was submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy
Consents Unit and Perth and Kinross Council was asked whether or not it wanted to object to the application as consultee.

A report of handling by PKC’s Development Management and Building Standards Service manager Kristian Smith recommended councillors object to the application “due to its impact on Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area”.

Councillors were told neighbouring Stirling Council has not objected.

The committee was shown several images depicting how the wind farm would look within the picturesque landscape.

PKC’s Major Applications and Enforcement team leader Sean Panton said the proposed turbines’ height – of up to 180m tip height with internal transformers – was “comparable with The Gherkin in London”.

He highlighted other wind farms in the area, as well as a further wind farm development proposal – Glen Lednock Wind Farm – with up to 19 turbines, of which up to 16 would be 200m in height on the adjacent site. The application is still pending a decision.

NatureScot objected to the proposal “due to the significant adverse effects on the Special Landscape Qualities of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and the Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area”.

In his report, Mr Smith concluded: “In conclusion, the proposal will bring about significant adverse effects on Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area to the extent that the overall integrity of the area will be compromised. While considerable weight is to be given to the contribution the proposed development could make in achieving renewable energy generation targets, this does not overcome the significant detrimental impact the proposal will have on a nationally important landscape designation.”

Convener Ian Massie tabled a motion to object on the grounds of the adverse impact on the landscape. He said the “significant and irreversible harm to the nationally important landscapes outweighs the benefits of renewable energy development in this instance”.

The committee unanimously agreed to object to the application.