Caldercruix windfarm plans are put on hold

Sep 30 2009 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

AN application to construct a wind farm near Caldercruix is set to be turned down because of the development’s potentially negative impact on three local monuments.

Planners from North Lanarkshire Council have recommended that the proposal be refused, but developers Airtricity have now requested that councillors visit the site before making their decision.

The proposal is to install seven 125m turbines, spread across a total of 150 hectares at Nether Bracco Farm on Airdrie Road, south of Hillend reservoir.

However, the development would be close to a trio of Scheduled Ancient Monuments – mid-Bracco hut circles, mid-Bracco farmstead and Drumfin deserted settlement.

The two hut circles are prehistoric and the protected zone encompasses “the remains and an area around them within which related material may be found.”

Meanwhile, the farmstead also includes “a turf-walled building, huts, enclosures and a field system”, and Drumfin is another farmstead, “visible as a series of upstanding banks”.

The most vehement objections were lodged by Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland and the West of Scotland Archaeology Society.

“Significant weight” was given by planners to the organisations’ opposition particularly the towering turbines’ visual dominance.

Also opposing the plan were BAA, who operate Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and National Air Traffic Services, both of whom were concerned about the turbines producing “false plots” on radar screens.

Six representations were received, with public opinion split – Salsburgh Heritage Group feared destroying the “uniqueness” of mid-Bracco, and Smarter Salsburgh and the village’s community council lodged concerns including visual impact, noise, pollution, proximity to their area, shadow flicker and TV reception.

Another objector noted that “since the area around Lily Loch is probably the most scenic in Lanarkshire, the location of the windfarm is an act of vandalism”.

However, Caldercruix Youth and Community Development gave their backing as Airtricity had promised to reinvest money into local groups, and Airdrie North councillor Tommy Morgan noted: “While the area previously contained a cluster of dwellings from previous centuries, this should not stand in the way of [producing] sustainable renewable energy.”

The windfarm’s generating capacity would be up to 21 megawatts, and the application is to position the turbines – which would have a 25-year lifespan – in two arcs.

As well as the “significant and adverse” impact on the monuments and the aviation issues, planning officials concluded that the windfarm would also be detrimental to a high-quality rural landscape and have an unacceptable visual impact.

It was noted that, while the council supports renewable energy generation, the proposal would be contrary to the local development plan, would be considered an “isolated development” in a countryside area, and is also close to a protected site of special scientific interest at Hassockrigg and Lady Bell’s Moss.

Consultations with the Forestry Commission and Scottish Wildlife Trust revealed their respective concerns about tree felling and the possible “collision risks to the locally rich bird life”.

It was established that 334 nearby homes are likely to have their television reception affected, although Airtricity have promised to install set-top boxes, satellite or cable if necessary.

The applicants submitted their own comprehensive environmental statement suggesting that the turbines would cause only a minor impact on the surrounding area.

As well as the turbines being seen from far and wide, it was especially felt that “the Bracco windfarm will cause a significant impact on views from Caldercruix, Plains, Salsburgh and Airdrie.”

Scottish Natural Heritage added that “the combination of Greendykeside, Greengairs and Bracco wind farms would in [our] view create a scattering of moderate and small-scale developments with no cohesive pattern” leading to a “visually confusing scene”.

Councillors on the planning committee will now determine the application after seeing the site for themselves as soon as a visit can be arranged.