News
Merranblo wind turbines refused
Robert Leslie 31/10/2008 17:12:00
PLANS to site three 900kW wind turbines at Merranblo, near Stromness, have been thrown out by Scottish Ministers.
Orkney Islands Council said it had today, Friday, been informed of the decision by the
Ministers to refuse the planning application for the wind turbines, following last January's public inquiry.
The council says it will now consider carefully the contents of the accompanying report.
The seven-day public local inquiry in Stromness, in front of reporter
Ian Lumsden, was called for by Scottish Ministers following objections
from Historic Scotland over the visual impact of the proposed turbines
on the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, which includes
the Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness, and Maeshowe.
Applicants for the Merranblo development were landowner Major Malcolm
Macrae and Barry Johnston of Stromness-based energy specialists
Scotrenewables.
Orkney Islands Council gave planning permission to the project against
its own planning department's advice, with councillors on the
environment, planning and protective services committee saying the
turbines should be granted because they would provide local economic
and renewable energy benefits, and that any visual impact on the
landscape and on the World Heritage Site would not be adverse.