DC Casebook: Energy Development - Turbine appearance fails landscape test
Friday, 31 October 2008
An 80m wind turbine has been rejected at a site on Orkney following an inspector's ruling that it would adversely affect the landscape character of the islands.
The 2MW turbine, with a hub height of 50m, would be sited on open pasture. The appellants claimed that the islands' substantial wind resource was largely untapped. Scottish Natural Heritage did not object to the proposal and RSPB Scotland agreed that while the turbine would cause some bird fatalities the total would not be significant.
The reporter noted that several wind energy schemes had been built on Orkney's mainland but others had been rejected on visual impact grounds. In his opinion, the turbine would tower over the surrounding fields and peatland landscape and undermine the area's character, despite its elegant design. It would be visible from a ferry and over distances of 5km, he calculated. The landscape was clearly sensitive to the introduction of large vertical structures and this was sufficient reason to dismiss the appeal, he ruled.
DCS Number 100-058-189
Reporter John Martin; Written representations.
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