WHAT ABOUT PLANNING PERMISSION?

RES have lodged yet another application to erect wind turbines on Meikle Carewe and the adjacent hilltops and ridgeline.

Last time around the 10 turbine application was rejected because of air traffic concerns, TV interference and the impact on the local area (visual and amenity impact). Since then Aberdeenshire Council have further relaxed their policies on wind turbine siting but they did agree that ridgeline locations (which is the case with the prominent Meikle Carewe range) were not the most suitable locations for these things.

RES will surely have been lobbying behind the scenes to try and persuade away the objections of the authorities to the new 12 turbine scheme. We know from what they have been up to elsewhere that they appear to have learnt "rent-a-crowd" PR tactics to create the illusion of support.

So, it now up to all of us to reinforce the message that was so strong last time around that almost everyone who wrote in from the local area here was against this development.

The contrast with other K&M wind turbine proposals was noticeable as it was only here that local opposition was so comprehensive. At the other extreme the current proposal for Fetteresso (Midhill) is to increase capacity from 50 MW to 75 MW by adjustments to 5 of the turbines already approved and to which hardly anyone objected. Even RES only claim 10MW for the entire Meikle Carewe 12 turbine scheme. And as we discovered last time around only a small fraction of this theoretical "output" would actually make it into the electric grid.

However - if you are silent RES will claim to the council that your previous concerns "have been addressed". As this is a new application unfortunately we all have to write again.

So please write to: Raymond Reid
Acting Head of Development Control and Building Standards
Aberdeenshire Council, Viewmount, Arduthie Road
Stonehaven AB39 2DQ

Or by email to: km.planapps@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

In each case please quote reference number: APP/2006/3934

Or use the online form on the Aberdeenshire Council website www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk (look under "planning") where you can also see the plans.