ARGYLL and Bute Council is set to object for plans for an offshore wind farm after councillors voiced concerns.
The proposed MachairWind would have 91 turbines at 335 metres high, or 144 at 280 metres high, in waters northwest of Islay and west of Colonsay.
It is reported that the facility, planned by ScottishPower Renewables and MachairWind Ltd, could provide electricity for two million homes.
But council officials raised fears over “significant adverse effects” on the landscape and cultural heritage of Scottish islands.
A recommendation to object to the plans, as part of a section 36 consultation by the Scottish Government, was unanimously agreed by the council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Tuesday, September 15.
Councillor Gordon Blair (SNP, Cowal) said: “It is very important that we do due diligence on each of these consultations. We do not want to be accused of nimbyism, so we really have to spend the time and respond to the consultation.
“The fact that the Scottish Government has had over 5,000 responses indicates the concerns that people have, and our range of communities have, with this development.”
Councillor Luna Martin (SNP, Oban North and Lorn) said: “I have received lots of representations on this, and wind farms can be fantastic things, but they have to be in the right place and the right size.
“I am minded with the recommendations and I agree that the department has come to the correct decision.”
Councillor Kieron Green (Independent, Oban North and Lorn) said: “We can see quite clearly, from the volume of correspondence we have received, the passion that visitors and residents have for the landscape across Argyll.
“We can see from the report that there is a clear challenge here in terms of the impacts this will have.
“Whether it would be against National Planning Framework or the Local Development Plan, I think it is completely right this does go further and communities are given the chance to pursue these arguments, and we can have a real debate about presenting this to the energy consents unit.
“I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations, but this should not be the end of the story. I think there genuinely needs to be that public debate to ensure the final decision balances all the competing interests in this.”
Councillor Fiona Howard (Labour, Helensburgh Central) added: “I agree with everything that has been said, and I cannot understand how anybody can think this development in this place was even remotely acceptable.
“I wholeheartedly support the council in objecting strongly to this, and I think it needs to be really strong, because we cannot allow it.”
A ScottishPower Renewables spokesperson said: “MachairWind is a vital green energy project that will deliver more clean power to the grid, strengthen the UK’s energy security and help drive economic growth.
“We believe it will deliver long and lasting economic and social benefits across the islands, west coast of Scotland and beyond and have carried out extensive work to measure this as part of our consent submission, which is currently being considered by the Scottish Government.”
