South Shebster Windfarm Hearing

[ywindythesecond]

Nothing to do on Tuesday? Come to Halkirk 1pm for another demonstration of democracy at its best.
The South Shebster Windfarm Hearing is on, and the planners are recommending acceptance. National targets are more important than people’s lives.
This is what the Committee report says:
[It is considered that residential property in the vicinity of the wind
farm will not suffer a significant loss of amenity during both the construction and
operation of the wind farm due to separation distances from the turbines and
mitigation proposed by the developer. Once constructed and in operation there will be significant visual impacts but these are considered to be acceptable given the
separation distances from houses.
However, it is considered that this development is of a scale to provide a significant
contribution to the Government’s and Highland Council’s renewable energy targets
and considerable weight must be given to this factor. It is considered that this places
the balance in favour of the wind energy proposal.]

http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4231854E-4ECA-457E-9DC3-FB8796B2899C/0/Item21PLC2109.pdf

Has anyone in Planning asked the people nearby what they consider?

[Rheghead]

I'm guessing here that if the Shebster proposal is rejected then that will be taken into account for the Baillie proposal. A Shebster rejection will make it harder for ministers to reject Baillie. An approval for Shebster will mean that in terms of clustering Baillie would be increasingly untenable for approval by ministers.

I'd be very surprised if both get refusal and equally surprised if both get approval except in a timeline where Shebster gets refusal, Baillie is approved partly on that, meanwhile the Shebster developer appeals to Edinburgh and gets approval on the basis of the evidence presented on Tuesday.

I'd think a bit of tactical pragmatism might be the better option here for the anti crowd. A 10MW or 63MW??

[ywindythesecond]

[quote

I'd think a bit of tactical pragmatism might be the better option here for the anti crowd. A 10MW or 63MW??[/quote]


Don't think folk living here will go for that. This is like when you are driving north on the Causeymire just past the peat workings and the road bends left and you are looking directly at the turbines around a kilometre away above the trees .

[Mr P Cannop]

Nothing to do on Tuesday? Come to Halkirk 1pm for another demonstration of democracy at its best.
The South Shebster Windfarm Hearing is on, and the planners are recommending acceptance. National targets are more important than people’s lives.
This is what the Committee report says:
[It is considered that residential property in the vicinity of the wind
farm will not suffer a significant loss of amenity during both the construction and
operation of the wind farm due to separation distances from the turbines and
mitigation proposed by the developer. Once constructed and in operation there will be significant visual impacts but these are considered to be acceptable given the
separation distances from houses.
However, it is considered that this development is of a scale to provide a significant
contribution to the Government’s and Highland Council’s renewable energy targets
and considerable weight must be given to this factor. It is considered that this places
the balance in favour of the wind energy proposal.]

http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4231854E-4ECA-457E-9DC3-FB8796B2899C/0/Item21PLC2109.pdf

Has anyone in Planning asked the people nearby what they consider?

am not able to attend can some one give me a report from the meeting on what was said and so on please ??

[Stargazer]

I cannot make it to this meeting, but if anybody is I would like to know who is going to keep filling up the "fishing lochan" with water. Presumably it the one already there and it leaks and need topping up.

Maybe once planning is passed these promises will be quietly forgotton.

2.6

The application also includes an outline proposal for a visitor attraction (crannog),
archaeological trail and forest walk including a fishing lochan. No details are provided.

[olivia]

Whilst I appreciate that every planning application before our councillors has to be judged on its merits, it seems wrong to have this hearing before the Baillie inquiry result is known.

Surely they need to know if the huge Baillie development is going to be built across the way before they possibly impose another windfarm on the residents of Shebster?

Another thing that bugs me is the planning officer saying this development will not have a bad impact on the closest houses, how on earth can he judge that? As a precaution wind farms should never be built close to homes.

[Rheghead]

Another thing that bugs me is the planning officer saying this development will not have a bad impact on the closest houses, how on earth can he judge that?

Does he actually say that?

[ywindythesecond]

Does he actually say that?

Not the precise words but see post #1 in this thread

[Rheghead]

Nearest property is 850m from turbines I understand. The proposal is not on a hilltop and is sited into the Caithness hinterland side. I can see how the planner sees that South Shebster should be approved.
From a safety point of view 850m is ample distance from flying debris, as for noise I would have thought there will be minimal nuisance.

From my calculation, I think from 850m, if I held out my hand in the thumbs up position, the size of the turbines would be about just over half my thumb in size. I think this would be acceptable in terms of visual amenity considering the added benefits of producing pollution-free electricity. Not to mention the other community benefits.

[MadPict]

And when I hold my hand up all the windfarms in Caithness are hidden behind it - so that's OK then...........

[Rheghead]

And when I hold my hand up all the windfarms in Caithness are hidden behind it - so that's OK then...........

I hold up my hand to let myself be known that I am prepared to put aside my self-interested protectionism for the sake of the greater good.

Anti-nimby through and through.

[MadPict]

I hold up my hand to let myself be known that I am prepared to put aside my self-interested protectionism for the sake of the greater good.

Anti-nimby through and through.

Shame the developers don't have such ideals -
they put aside protectionism for the sake of their self-interested greater wealth...

[olivia]

as for noise I would have thought there will be minimal nuisance.

Can you back that up with evidence? What do you consider to be minimal nuisance?

[david]

Nearest property is 850m from turbines I understand. The proposal is not on a hilltop and is sited into the Caithness hinterland side. I can see how the planner sees that South Shebster should be approved.
From a safety point of view 850m is ample distance from flying debris, as for noise I would have thought there will be minimal nuisance.

From my calculation, I think from 850m, if I held out my hand in the thumbs up position, the size of the turbines would be about just over half my thumb in size. I think this would be acceptable in terms of visual amenity considering the added benefits of producing pollution-free electricity. Not to mention the other community benefits.

Well said Rheghead-Look at the benefits Halkirk have got from this green energy. I understand that the work to floodlight the Ross Institute is almost complete (around 12k). Makes complete sense to use the money from the green windmills in such a non green way.

[anneoctober]

Whilst I appreciate that every planning application before our councillors has to be judged on its merits, it seems wrong to have this hearing before the Baillie inquiry result is known.

Surely they need to know if the huge Baillie development is going to be built across the way before they possibly impose another windfarm on the residents of Shebster?

Another thing that bugs me is the planning officer saying this development will not have a bad impact on the closest houses, how on earth can he judge that? As a precaution wind farms should never be built close to homes.

As a resident in Shebster, I can confirm that NO ONE involved in this "wind garden" scheme has bothered to ask their neighbours, how it will affect us, - as an individual OR as a wee community. There exists a "Them & Us" attitude of arrogance here. The desire to make money is top priority - nothing to do with "greener " energy and I will be very surprised if ANY of the proposed sweetners such as the visitor centre etc come into existance.

[MadMaz]

How many "Windfarms" can Caithness take? When is enough enough!!! Do we the people of Shebster count..it doesn't look like it.

[david]

How many "Windfarms" can Caithness take? When is enough enough!!! Do we the people of Shebster count..it doesn't look like it.

Surely like Halkirk, Shebster has something it can floodlite with windmill money-or is that light pollution?

[anneoctober]

Surely like Halkirk, Shebster has something it can floodlite with windmill money-or is that light pollution?

Do huge EGO's count??

[MadMaz]

Surely like Halkirk, Shebster has something it can floodlite with windmill money-or is that light pollution?

I'm hoping they might see the light

[MadPict]

Eco Egos do........

Look at me, I'm "saving" the planet and making a nice profit at the same time....