The Aberdeenshire Wind-Rush

I learn from the latest email-newsletter from CAWT that there is a Formartine Area Committee Meeting on 31st August. Formartine is one of the six areas into which Aberdeenshire is divided, and includes, for example, Turriff; the other five areas are Marr (Huntly), Garioch, Kincardine and Mearns, Buchan, and Banff and Buchan (Foggieloan!).

At this committee meeting, along with a whole lot of other business, no less than four wind-turbine applications are to be considered, comprising altogether ten turbines, all of industrial scale, similar to the ones proposed for Mossford.

(Details at http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees/detail.asp?ref_no=802572870061668E8025764F0044025C - the meeting agenda; see items 13B,C,D,E.)

These things really are going to be popping up like mushrooms, unless we watch out. And heaven knows how the planning system will cope.

The reason for the gold rush is an open secret. Anyone with land in a windy place can apply to put up an 80-metre turbine. In very round figures the cost of the turbine (a million pounds) will be recouped in around 7 years (maybe less). For the rest of the life of the turbine (another 14 years, say) the owner will be reaping a very nice harvest...

(More details at CAWT: http://cawt.co.uk/files/How_turbines_make_money.pdf; to join the CAWT email list send an email to support@cawt.co.uk or telephone 01888 544432.)
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If you are serious about opposing the Mossford scheme, you will need to think about attending the Banff and Buchan Area Committee meeting when the application comes up for consideration. It is too early to say when it will be. Meetings (and their agendas) are advertised on the Aberdeenshire Council website (http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees/index.asp). If no-one comes, the committees tend to take the view that no-one is bothered by the proposals.

More of the Mossford application now available online

The main documents relating to the Mossford wind-cluster planning application are now available on-line at
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/apps/detail.asp?ref_no=APP/2010/2712
'Environmental Statement' is most comprehensive, 188 pages long!
'Mossford wind cluster environmental impact assessment chapter 3.4: landscape and visual impact' is a very large file (40 megabytes) and is the one containing maps and photo-montages
'Non-technical summary' is a shorter version (30 pages) of the Environmental Statement

A page on the Mossford application has been added to the CAWT (Concerned About Wind Turbines) website (click on the map to enlarge it):
http://www.cawt.co.uk/areas/mossford/area.htm

Application now 'live'

The planning application for a cluster of 3 wind-turbines at Mossford, near Aberchirder, appears to have gone live.
The expiry date for public comments is given by the council website as 30th September 2010.
This gives us longer to make our comments than has been promised by the planning office up until now (i.e. 21 days), which is good. Dare one take this is as a sign that the planners recognize that the Mossford proposal is an important one, which needs to be carefully and impartially evaluated by all concerned? Let's hope so.

Not much information has been put up on the Aberdeenshire website as yet, but keep an eye on it:
www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/apps/detail.asp?ref_no=APP/2010/2712

While waiting for the application to be validated...

... have a look at CAWT!
Here you will get the bigger picture of wind-turbine applications all over Aberdeenshire.
CAWT originally stood for Cuminestown Against Wind Turbines, but has now widened its meaning to 'Concerned About Wind Turbines'.
CAWT believes that wind-turbines should not be erected within 1.25 miles of occupied dwellings to avoid problems with flickering shadows and noise from the turbines.
There would be several dwellings within this distance of the proposed turbines, including three (not counting Mossford farm house itself) that would be only about 500m from the nearest turbine.
All of these dwellings could be blighted by noise pollution.

Note that the Mossford proposal has been added to the CAWT map (click on the marker to the right of 'Keith').