01.04.2008..............Corlarach to go to appeal

The Planning Application decision against the industrial wind application of 14 turbines on Corlarach Hill is going to be appealed. The application will go to the Scottish Parliament for a final decision and this is due to take place inthe next few months.

29.01.2008..............Corlarach Application is Refused.

The Planning Application for the industrial wind application of 14 turbines on Corlarach Hill was refused at the meeting of the Cowal & Bute Area Commitee today. The committee members were unanimous in their decision.

It is probable that this decision will be appealed by West Coast Energy and the application is likely to go to the Scottish Parliament for a final decision. We will continue to monitor this and advise what further action will be neccessary in due course.

13.01.2008..............Corlarach WF Hearing.

The Planning Application for this wind farm will be determined at a hearing in the Queen's Hall Dunoon at 10.30am on 29th January 2008.

In advance of that hearing, an article was published in the Friday 11th January edition of the Dunoon Observer which included a questionnaire on Wind Farms. We would like to ensure that members of the area commitee who will be present at the meeting are aware of the results of this questionnaire.

If you have not already done so, we urge you to make your views known by completing the questionnaire which is also available on line by clicking the following link:

http://www.eringlis.com/windfarm/

05.12.2007..............Corlarach WF Hearing.
The planning application for Corlarach Wind Farm was referred to a 'hearing' (with the Argyll & Bute Council Area Committee) in mid-January. Apparently, the developers, West Coast Energy have obtained 745 letters in support of their application.
In the event you have not yet done so, there is still time to complete and send objections via our on-line form.

27.11.2007..............Stacain Wind Farm Approved. The planning application for Stacain Wind Farm, overlooking Loch Awe in North Argyll, was recently approved at a local hearing by the Lorn, Oban and the Isles Area Committee of Argyll and Bute Council. Despite valiant efforts by Avich & Kilchrenan community council, after what has been described as an intimidating hearing in which the local laird got all the estate workers to turn out in support, the committee passed the application 6-2. If Argyll and Bute Council protective services and licensing committee pass the application, and they have never turned down an Area Committees resolution before, then only a 'call in' by the Scottish Executive will prevent an imminent disaster. With five golden eagle nests in the immediate area and a predicted kill rate of one golden eagle a year, there were very strong objections from Scottish Natural Heritage and RSPB.

Buzzard v Turbine (who wins?)

15.11.2007..............Allt Dearg Wind Farm Rejected. Npower renewables planning application for Allt Dearg wind farm, which would have overlooked Loch Fyne, was rejected by Argyll & Bute Council at a special hearing on Tuesday. Following presentations by the Councils Planners, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB (Scotland), Argyll Wind Farms & several independent objectors the committee voted 6-4 to follow their planners advice and rejected the application. The chairman had intimated he was against the proposal, but his vote was not required. There were 650 objections from Argyll and 750 from the rest of Scotland, the UK and around the World.

West Coast Energy - Cefn Croes in Wales

09.10.2007..............Black Craig New application.
The revised planning application has been submitted and the main change comprises removing five of the turbines from the north east of the site and repositioning two of them to the south of the site. The number of turbines has been reduced from 19 to 16. The size of the turbines are marginally reduced.
NB. Previous objections to this scheme will not be considered by the planners in relation to this new application - If you objected before, you will need to object again to
Ms Arlene Henderson,
Planning Services,
Argyll & Bute Council
Milton House
Dunoon PA23 7DU

06.09.2007..............Corlarach Hill
West Coast Energy, the welsh based developer, is to present to the Planning Department and also to South Cowal Community Council on 12th September. They have been actively canvassing support for their project during the Cowal Games weekend where many visitors in the pubs and bars in Dunoon were approached and encouraged to sign preprinted lettersl. Nearly 600 letters of support have been received. Interestingly many seem to have come from Wales!

06.09.2007......Letter to the Editor, Dunoon Observer.
Sir,
Corlarach Wind Farm
It appears that West Coast Energy, the Welsh company applying to build a 14-turbine industrial wind farm on our local Corlarach Hill, (above Innellan) have succeeded in raising hundreds of letters supporting their planning application. I strongly doubt, however, that this accurately reflects local opinion on this issue.

I hope those signing were aware that the giant turbines proposed would be over 400 ft high, located on high ground at 1300 ft, that many of them would directly overlook much of Dunoon (from behind Kilbride Hill), that all of them would be strikingly visible from all ferry approaches, and that the project would seriously undermine the efforts of many working to promote Dunoon as the Marine Gateway to the National Park.

As last week's 'Comment' article in the 'Observer' (page 2) stated, "We should take pride in Dunoon & Cowal, and count our blessings that we live in one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of the globe" - an analysis supported by the Consultants report to the council on the Dunoon Gateway project and Scottish Natural Heritage. Indeed, our main local industry, tourism, is highly dependent on our special, high-quality land and seascapes.

Our group understands that at least one Scottish Power company regards the Dunoon hills as unsuitable for industrial wind farms. A Sustainable Windfarms Policy statement spells it out clearly: "We will exclude from consideration sites that have an unacceptable impact on the landscape character or amenity of National Parks and National Scenic Areas". In this case there is a National Park to the north and an SSA to the west. Also, "We will avoid designated areas where development will have an unacceptable impact . . and where mitigation measures are likely to be unacceptable" - this demonstrating an exemplary responsible attitude on the issue.

Innellan & Bullwood residents may also be concerned to hear about new evidence regarding VAD (Vibro-Acoustic Disease) confirming the existence of this illness and the dangers posed by nearby windfarms in this regard (see www.turbineaction.co.uk). Unfortunately around 6 of the giant turbines proposed would be sited only 2-3kms to the west of residential areas.

Although almost all of us want renewable energy, we consider this plan to site industrial wind turbines on hills next to a National Park Gateway town totally inappropriate and insensitive. Hopefully other more efficient renewables will soon be top priority in place of expensive and inefficient onshore wind.

I would urge as many people as possible who agree with this point of view to write objection letters about the Corlarach Hill application to our planning department( Ref: 07/00851/DET) at Milton House, Dunoon PA237DU), as soon as possible or use our objection form on the www.cowalwind.com website.