Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth
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Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Senior Planning Officer spoke to the terms of the report. Consideration was given to a recommended
response to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit and Deployment Unit consultation
on the Section 36 Application for the erection of 13 turbines each up to a
maximum of 180 metries in height to blade tip at land
approximately 6 km north west of Inveraray and 4.5 km east of Dalavich.
The site is located on the plateau between Loch Awe to the north west
and Loch Fyne to the south east and within the Kames River, Allt Blarghour, River Aray and Douglas
Water catchments.
This report reviews the policy considerations which are applicable to
this proposal and the planning merits of the development, the views of bodies
consulted by the Scottish Government along with other consultations undertaken
by the Council, and third party opinion expressed to the Scottish Government.
It was recommended that the ECU be notified that Argyll and Bute
Council does not object to the proposed development and to recommend the ECU to
consider mitigation and conditions as detailed in the report of handling.
Decision
The Committee agreed that the ECU be notified accordingly that Argyll
and Bute Council objects to the proposed development unless the following
mitigation recommended by the Council’s Landscape Consultant is undertaken to
the satisfaction of the Planning Authority:
Mitigation
That
consideration should be given to the mitigation suggested by the Council’s
Landscape Consultant as follows:
·
The
well-wooded nature of the Loch Awe area restricts open views across and along
the loch but where these views do occur, they are particularly valuable for
their scenic qualities. The loch shores near Dalavich
comprise one of these important open areas as does the road between Loch Awe
and Loch Avich and the shores and waters of Loch Avich. The proposal appears poorly designed from these
areas and it is strongly recommended that the layout of turbines is
reviewed by the applicant from Viewpoints 2, 5 and 11 with the overlapping of
Turbines 2, 8 and 10 resolved and Turbine 13 omitted as this appears dislocated
from the main group of turbines and significantly increases the horizontal
extent of the proposal in these views.
·
In
addition, significant adverse effects on the Dun na Cuaiche
folly within the Inveraray Castle GDL are acknowledged likely to arise in the
LVIA (Viewpoint 4). This is an important viewpoint, and the cluttered
appearance of the proposal contributes to significant adverse effects on views.
It is therefore strongly recommended that the layout of turbines is reviewed by
the applicant from Viewpoint 4 with the discordant overlapping of Turbines 2
and 8 resolved and the prominence of Turbines 1 and 2 reduced by adjusting
their location and/or lowering their height.
·
In
addition, the cumulative effects of visible aviation lighting on landscape
character and on views is also a concern and while there will be fewer people
affected at night, it is considered important to retain the character of dark
skies within Argyll & Bute, particularly given the number of wind energy
proposals across the region with similar lighting. It is therefore strongly
recommended that radar activated lighting should be installed at the earliest
opportunity as this would substantially reduce the duration and impact of
night-time lighting.
The Council would also make the following comments
in respect to conditions, ornithology and trunk road matters
Conditions
The
inclusion of all conditions recommended by consultees in any consent granted by
the ECU.
Ornithology and Trunk Road Matters
That the ECU should note that it has not been
possible for Argyll & Bute Council to reach a conclusion on the
acceptability of this proposal in respect to Ornithology or Trunk Road matters.
This is because these matters have not been resolved and discussions are
ongoing between the Applicant, the ECU, NatureScot,
RSPB Scotland and Transport Scotland.
In respect to the outstanding Ornithological
matters, Argyll & Bute Council would defer to the expert advice of NatureScot and the RSPB Scotland.
In respect to the outstanding Trunk Road matters,
Argyll & Bute Council would defer to the expert advice of Transport
Scotland.
(Reference:
Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth dated 9 May 2024, submitted)
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