Issue - meetings

Report by Head of Planning, Housing and Regulatory Services

The Development Manager spoke to the terms of the report and to supplementary report number 1 which addressed some inaccuracies at Section P and U of the original report.  The proposal consists of up to 7 wind turbines each with a maximum height to blade tip of 136.5m together with associated infrastructure and 4 borrow pits.  The site is located within the Ardtaraig Estate and extends to approximately 2,160 hectares.  It is located immediately south of the existing Cruach Mhor Wind Farm which has 37 turbines.  The Kyles of Bute National Scenic Area (NSA) is the closest national landscape designation to the site.  There are also two statutory designated ecological sites within 5km of the proposed development – the Ruel Estuary Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Glendaruel Woods and Crags SSSI.    The site is located within the Kyles of Bute Area of Panoramic Quality (APQ) and the proposal is considered contrary to the Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study (LWECS).  In principle, the proposed development is considered to be a sustainable form of development that will offset the emission of over 900,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent per annum that would otherwise be emitted should the same amount of electricity be generated from fossil fuel sources.  Scottish Natural Heritage has objected to the proposal on the grounds that the proposal would have an adverse effect on the special qualities and integrity of the Kyles of Bute NSA.  SNH considers that these effects cannot be mitigated and they also have significant concerns regarding the landscape and visual impacts of this proposal.  Scottish Wild Land Group have also objected to the proposal on the grounds that they believe the environmental and other impacts hugely outweigh any benefits.  They raised particular concern about adverse impact on raptors, protected areas, wild land, tourism, questionable impacts on global warming, decommissioning/repowering and ancient woodland.  At the time of writing the report a total of 356 letters of representations have been received comprising: 293 objections, 5 petitions of objection from the NAW group, 56 in support and 2 representations.  A further 4 letters of objection have been received since publication of the report.  The proposal is recommended for refusal for the reasons stated in the report subject to a discretionary hearing being held in view of the number of representations received both for and against the proposal and the complexity of the issues raised.

Decision

The Committee agreed to hold a discretionary pre-determination hearing at the earliest opportunity.

(Reference: Report by Head of Planning, Housing and Regulatory Services dated 11 January 2019 and supplementary report number 1 dated 21 January 2019, submitted)