Nesting hen harriers and black grouse; scheduled monuments at Blasthilland Dunaverty Castle, each high, exposed amongst lower lying surroundings, are among some of the elements that have saved the beautiful lands of Kintyre, Sanda Island, and northern Arran from the lowering influence of the KIlchattan Wind Farm proposal.

For Argyll, which reported the rejected appeal. notes the response to this detail and to the various forms of protection and distinction covering the area, would, in her findings, appear to suggest that wind farm developments on the Mull would be hard to justify.

This judgment and the detail accompanying it will set a precedent for criteria in decision taking on wind farm applications for the Mull of Kintyre, it concludes.

In her report, Jill Moody, opens quickly by pointing out "The appeal site falls into an area that is shown on the adopted local plan as predominantly Very Sensitive Countryside. But the site also comprises bands of Sensitive Countryside and Rural Opportunity Area on lower ground to the south west, nearer the public road. Comparing these designations to the proposed site layout, it would appear that all of the turbines, the wind mast and the borrow pit would be in the most sensitive part, which equates to the higher ground."

No-one could accuse this reporter of bias.  Among her detailed works are support for An Camas Mòr, the new community by Aviemore and the Bearholm Industrial substation near Moffat, which were both approved,  while she saved Carnoustie's most iconic buildings The Auld Nick, in the High Street,v subject of an application for demolition, and refused by Angus Council which she endorsed, turning down an application to bulldoze the building and replace it with six flats. 

EAST COAST REAPS THE WIND INSTEAD

American owners of the luxury five-star Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa in St Andrews have expressed a “fundamental concern” over plans for a windfarm at Kenly Farm, near Boarhills reports Fife Today. 

St Andrews University  lodged an application for a six-turbine, 12.3MW facility at the site, a few miles south of St Andrews, which is a major component of its strategy to offset rising energy costs.

But in a letter to Fife Council planners on behalf of the hotel, consultants Colliers International warn that the 100-metre-high turbines will have “detrimental visual and economic impacts on existing established visitor-related land uses.”

Dismissing the claim in the institution’s environmental statement that the impact on tourism would be negligible, it says the analysis by Scotland’s oldest university is "inadequate and inconclusive."

The multi-million pound redevelopment of Hamilton Hall into 26 luxury private residences linked to the resort will also  ‘‘compromised’’ because the turbines will be clearly visible from the upper floors and communal rooftop terrace and will undermine the amenity for all the building’s future occupants, says the consultant.