We thought you might like a brief update in relation to the Giant’s Burn planning application, currently sitting with the Energy Consents Unit.
To date there are no less than over 900 individual objections*.
There are 3 representations labelled as neutral: (1) Sandbank Community Development Trust (2) Cowal Community Energy (CCE) (3) Benmore & Kilmun Community Development Trust (representations attached below).
Cowal Community Energy claim that “the majority of the population and the geographic area of Cowal is represented by CCE” but there is no evidence to support this claim. We would ask on what basis does CCE claim to “represent” all local communities: what is the basis of their claimed democratic mandate, and finally when and how were the public canvassed in this regard. CCE claim moreover to have had numerous conversations with the developer, in relation to shared ownership, on the basis of their supposed ‘representation’ of the people of Cowal; this seems presumptuous in the absence of any real evidence of ‘representation’. If they “represent” Cowal, how can CCE be “neutral” about the wind farm proposal when submitted objections and votes at public meetings show that the people of Cowal are clearly against the proposal?
The following statutory consultees have lodged objections: Kilmun Community Council, Gourock Community Council, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, NatureScot, NATS Safeguarding, Glasgow Airport, Historic Environment Scotland. Further to their initial objection, Historic Environment Scotland have responded on 16th January to state that they continue to hold a position of objection despite updated information provided to date. Numerous other consultees have raised a large volume of questions yet to be addressed.
Argyll & Bute Council’s Planning Committee have tabled this for their next meeting (18th February). We will continue to update regularly in the coming weeks.
*Due to the busyness of the ECU with the volume of nationwide projects, our information may not be 100% uptodate.