Opinion differs on proposals for another local wind farm

SHOULD Forres welcome a new "green" business that would generate around £1.25million-a-year in direct funding to the local economy?

Opinion differs following the news that Moray Council lodged an objection to plans for a 48-turbine development on a 3191 hectare site 10km south of the town, near the existing Berry Burn wind farm.

Planning officers recommended the local authority object to the turbines of up to 176m tall because of the "unacceptable significant landscape and visual impact".

However, the final say lies with the Scottish Government following enquiry, and Forres Community Council chairman Graham Hilditch hopes the council's decision is overturned.

He said: "Moray council will have to partly fund the enquiry which could result in tens of thousands of pounds of expenditure, which the local tax payer will have to fund at a time of council cutbacks on essential services. Although wind farm funding cannot go directly to the council, it could be used by community groups to fund recent closures made such as public toilets, school crossing patrols and public park grass cutting."

Mr Hilditch, a local businessman and member of the Berry Burn Community Fund, has met with developers over the last few years, gaining an understanding of the full process.

He was asked to lead a Moray-wide initiative on behalf of all community councils to investigate the offer of community investment in Clash Gour, many of whom signed up to find out more.

Mr Hilditch said: "Forres is very lucky to have this opportunity available, and it may now be lost. Most other Scottish towns do not have access to these funds and would love the opportunity. "Windfarm benefit and investment, going directly to the community, is an obvious solution and one which may now be lost, much as our last our last energy source, oil, was squandered many years ago."

Mr Hilditch was critical of Moray Council for its decision to object.

He said: "There seems to be a lack of joined up thinking, and our elected councillors have gone with the recommendation of Moray Council who rejected the decision on environmental grounds rather than taking consideration of community investment. There is a strong environmental lobby within our local council group and moorland seems to have taken priority over cuts to school crossings. They even argued about the impact of the turbines on tourism, having closed all the toilets for tourists!"

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has pledged to put pressure on the Scottish Government not to overturn the local authority's decision.

He said: "There is strong local feeling that Moray is near saturation point when it comes to wind farms. It is right that local elected members have taken that concern, and the judgement of the council’s planning officers who recommended rejection, into account when making their decision."

Moray councillor Claire Feaver (Forres ward) objected and confirmed that the report of the planning team stated that Clash Gour would dominate the sensitive settled landscapes lying on the upland fringes in the upper Lossie and Divie valleys, and the Upper Knockando area.

She added: "It also states that the turbines would excessively diminish the recreational and visitor experience as the countryside would be overly populated with wind farm developments.

"I hope that between us, Moray’s elected representatives can win this battle to save our precious landscapes from too much industrial development."