Objections

Reasons for objecting to the wind farm proposal

1: Wind Farm Proposals Already Rejected:  Similar but smaller proposals for the hills above Dunoon were rejected by Public Inquiries in 2009 (Corlarach Hill in January, Black Craig in April). In defiance of this result, the Bachan Burn proposal is for more numerous and larger turbines in a more prominent and intrusive location.

2:  Adverse Impacts on Visual Amenity and Landscape:  The 17 giant turbines would totally dominate views over a vast area including not only Dunoon and South Cowal but also Gourock and the Clyde coast, ferry and cruise ship routes, and parts of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.

3:  Potential Damage to the Vital Tourism Industry:  By adversely impacting on visual amenity, this development could seriously undermine the Dunoon area’s crucial tourism economy, which is highly dependent on the outstanding quality of its land and seascapes to attract visitors.

4: Noise and Light Disturbance:  The audible noise created by air flows and turbulence around moving turbines can make life unbearable for those within hearing distance. Light and shadow flicker from the ‘strobe’ effect of sunlight reflecting off rotating turbine blades would be widely felt, including for example with a setting sun shining through the turbines as viewed from the Inverclyde coast.

5: Too Close to Populated Areas:  Nearly 500 homes would be within 2 kms of the site boundary. These and many more properties at between 2 and 5 kms distance would be subjected to noise and light disturbances which can result in damaged quality of life and even serious health issues.

6: Loss of Property Value:  There is mounting evidence of a loss of value of houses which are perceived as too close to wind turbines; indeed, close proximity to turbines can make it very difficult to sell homes at any price.

7: Damage to the Natural Environment:  The huge quantities of earth removed for turbine foundations can have serious impacts by polluting streams and disrupting local hydrology.  The removal of large amounts of peat not only releases considerable CO 2 but also may radically alter local ecology. Large wind turbines can have serious impacts on wildlife, directly as in killing bats and birds and indirectly through the disruption of animal life from noise, wind turbulence, and light flicker.

8: Inappropriate Use of Forestry Land:  There is widespread local unease that public land in the care of Forestry Commission Scotland is being used to allow private companies to convert forested land into quasi-industrial purposes which often, as in the case of Bachan Burn, also require extensive tree felling.

9: Incompatibility with Local Plans:  We believe that the Bachan Burn proposal is incompatible with Argyll & Bute Council’s Local Plan, as the Reporter found in the Corlach Hill Inquiry in 2009, as well as inconsistent with National (SPP) Guidelines.

Preserving the beauty of our natural heritage