Highland Council seeks views on wind energy planning

New planning guidance will deal specifically with the erection of wind turbines in onshore locations.

NEW planning guidelines have been prepared by the Highland Council for wind energy developments and officials now want to hear what people in Caithness think.

The new guidance will be used in the consideration of planning applications in conjunction with the Highland-wide Local Development Plan, which the council published as a proposed plan last autumn.

The guidance deals specifically with the erection of wind turbines in onshore locations. It will replace some parts of the Highland renewable energy strategy and planning guidelines document of 2006.

The deadline for comments is 5pm on Friday, June 24.

Councillor Ian Ross, chairman of the planning, environment and development committee, explained: "The council is working hard to promote development of a wide range of renewable energy types – including wave, tidal and offshore wind. More onshore wind energy development, including further large wind farms, will continue to be needed in Highland if renewable energy targets are to be met.

"Our new guidance encourages developers to look at the least constrained areas of Highland, where development of wind farms would have a lesser impact. There are some other areas of Highland where we would wish to give significant protection – particularly because of the importance of designated sites. This will also help to address people’s concerns over the apparent concentration of several wind farms in the same area of the Highlands and the impact this can have on the wider landscape and particular scenic views – this is often referred to as cumulative impact."

He added: "The guidance covers the whole of the Highlands. However, some parts of Highland are under greater pressure for wind farm development than others. We have, therefore, focused our work on landscape and visual issues and developed more detailed guidance for the Monadhliath area and the Caithness area. We are keen to get people’s feedback on that in particular, as it is our intention to repeat this process for other parts of Highland in time."

The draft guidance document is available on the council’s website, www.highland.gov.uk