WINDFARM....ANYONE FANCY HELPING OUT!!

[Rob]

Hi Guys

A couple of my closest friends are trying to lobby against the construction of a windfarm, local to where they live.

Before I go on, I would like to point out that these are personal views, and it is not my intention to influence your opinions on such matters.

They are currently putting a petition forward to Aberdeen City council, objecting to the development of a windfarm in view of their village, and 3km from the cairngorms.



To save anyone needing to read on, if it is of no interest I have placed some of the negative impacts, social and environmental on the next post.

If you would be interesting in helping them fight this cause, please e-mail rob@zebrapleco.com , me and I can e-mail you with a pre-formated letter of objection, all you need to do is put your address on it and sign it.

Once again, thanks for just reading this post.

Cheers

Rob

[Rob]

SOME OF THE NEGAITVE IMPACTS
Should the proposed Windfarm and associated access roads be constructed, I believe that important, rare and endangered local habitats will be disturbed including Osprey, Capercaillie, other birds of Prey, peat bog flora, mountain hare, red squirrel, water vole, otters, deer & black grouse.

By siting the Windfarm on the proposed site I believe that the current flight path of migratory birds will be severely affected.


The proposed site is within a Tier 3 ‘Area of Landscape Significance’ according to ‘The Finalised Aberdeenshire Local Plan’. As such, the Council’s Policy Env 5 would preclude Windfarm Development since disturbances would certainly not be “minimal” and there are nearby “suitable alternatives” such as Clashindarroch. Additionally, in the ‘North East Together” document, the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Structure Plan (NEST), Policy AC/ENV20, states that there should be a strong presumption against development if it fails in terms of siting, design and protection of a special natural landscape.


The minor public ‘C’ and ‘U’ roads leading off the main A97 from Kildrummy to Wester Clova farm will not be able to support the heavy industrial type vehicular traffic associated with the Windfarm construction and long term maintenance without significant road ‘improving’, straightening and widening schemes which will be completely out of character in this historical rural landscape. This does not accord with Aberdeenshire Local Plan Policy Inf 1 (a) for this area. The increase in traffic volume and speed on local roads due to ‘upgrading’ will affect my enjoyment of utilising the local area recreationally. In relation to this I ask what compensation the Council would provide to residents should death or injury occur to human or animal as a result of this development as the Council would be liable should planning permission be granted.


The replacement of local peat (naturally a CO2 sink with a capacity three times greater than Tropical Rain Forests) with huge permanent impervious concrete bases/foundations (to the equivalent of 11 swimming pools) will severely affect local habitats and increase flooding risk. Although the developer states that the area will be reinstated after decommissioning this does not include the removal of these concrete bases/foundations. Acidic reliant peatbog flora and associated fauna will
not return to the area due to the alkaline concrete that will remain.


New widened and straightened access tracks and public roads will be left as a permanent scar on this currently beautiful natural landscape even once the Windfarm is decommissioned.


The local area is rich in as yet uncharted archaeological sites. Should the construction of this Windfarm and associated access network go ahead these important national sites would be lost forever.


The proposed Windfarm site is sited only 3km from the Cairngorm National Park and will be clearly visible making it an obtrusive feature from many viewpoints detracting from the remote, wild landscape which was one of the justifications for the creation of the Park.


The area proposed is used extensively by the MoD as a low fly zone and I believe that the Windfarm will pose an unacceptable risk to this practise.


Visually, in addition to the turbines themselves, power distribution infrastructure crossing the as yet untouched wide Strath from Glen Laff to the Mossat substation will detract from the rural beauty of this area which currently has only minimal roadside overhead cabling to dispersed properties.

[Dr. P]

You have email

[Rob]

Cheers Doc

I take it thats your mail I just received......
You're a gentleman and a scholer!"!!