Black Craig windfarm application goes in
Cowal’s first windfarm took another step towards realisation after the company behind the proposal announced they have submitted a planning application to Argyll and Bute Council.
The move is likely to spark fresh debate over the siting of windfarms, particularly in areas of natural beauty. Although the proposed development at Black Craig would be almost invisible to people living in Cowal, a number of Bute residents, including the Marquess, have voiced their opposition to the plan, citing the negative effects that windfarms could have on the number of tourists visiting the area.
There are also concerns over the number of windfarms planned for the Clyde estuary, plans which caused Argyll and Bute Council to remove the ‘preferred area of search’ status for windfarms in Bute and Cowal and change it to ‘constrained’. These concerns also prompted the formation of a local pressure group, Cowal and Renewable Energy Sense (CaRES), to campaign for the sensitive siting of potential windfarms. The Dunoon and Cowal Marketing Group has also claimed that inappropriately-sited windfarms would have a detrimental effect on visitor numbers to the area.
Argyll Windfarms Ltd plan to build 19 turbines at Black Craig, overlooking Inverchaolain, on the Glenstriven Estate. Each tower would be 60m tall, with a rotor diameter of 83m, giving an overall height of 101.5m. Each turbine has the capacity to produce a maximum of 2.5 MW, giving a total of 47.5MW. This means that consent is required from Argyll and Bute Council as it falls below the 50MW limit requiring Scottish Executive approval.
As there is no existing vehicular access to the site where the turbines would be situated, the proposed windfarm would also require the construction of new tracks and the upgrading of existing tracks.The closest point at which access to the site is currently available is approximately 1.5km from the southernmost turbine, this will necessitate the construction of around 9.6km of new tracks and the upgrading of around 6.9km of existing track in order to allow the construction and ongoing maintenance of the windfarm.
In addition to this, the proposal will also require the construction of an on-site substation, hardstanding area, connection cables and four temporary and one permanent wind monitoring mast.
Argyll Windfarms Ltd said that they anticipated that the windfarm would be connected to the National Grid via underground cabling running from the on-site substation to one at Sandbank approximately 5.5km away. The company said that, although this was not covered by the application, some initial work had been done to establish whether these works could be carried out without any significant environmental impacts. Their findings, contained in the Environmental Assessment, concluded that no significant impacts were expected.
Last year, the owner of the Glenstriven Estate, Mr Peter Blacker, set up Argyll Windfarms Ltd after approaches by a number of windfarm developers with proposals for the site at Black Craig, which was designated a preferred windfarm site some time ago. Mr Blacker said then that their proposals had caused him “considerable concern”. Other developers did not share his views, that the local community should benefit from any proposed windfarm, and so he had decided to go it alone.
Mr Blacker said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), carried out by independent consultants, was extremely detailed. “This is a very emotional issue and the public and planners need to be kept fully informed of every single angle,” he said.
“I am aware that this is the first windfarm planning application to be submitted in Cowal and some people are concerned that there could be several others, but my own feeling is that this is probably not the case.
“The site at Black Craig is appropriate for such a development as there will be little visual impact for Dunoon and the immediate area, unlike the proposals for the Bishop’s Seat, where the impact on the area would be huge.”
Mr Blacker said that he intended to engage in very serious debate with the local community and all those affected by the proposal and intended to make them a substantial community offer in the near future. This could take the form of a sum of money which would be administered by a committee and could help to pay for local projects. Another idea under consideration would be a shared ownership scheme where the money would be paid directly to the local community and they would decide how it would be spent.
However, CaRES chairman, Ian Gamage, took a different view of the situation. He expressed dismay at news of the planning application but said that he was not surprised as it had been expected for some time. He continued: “This shows that the developers are ignoring clearly expressed opposition to this plan from both Cowal and Bute. It has been repeatedly pointed out that the Black Craig site is totally inappropriate for an industrial windfarm installation and that its dominating visual impact would be severely detrimental to both the quality of life of local people and to our all-important tourism industry.
“The suggestion of such a site, immediately adjacent to the National Park and only a few miles from the Kyles of Bute National Scenic area really beggars belief.
“With a further three sites proposed on the Bishop’s Seat hills and another four on the east side of the Firth, the landscapes and outlooks of this area could be utterly transformed - ruined, say many people, by over 150 turbines which would dominate the landscape.”
Mr Gamage said that CaRES understood that windfarms cannot reduce carbon emissions, due to the constant need for existing power stations which are required to supply back-up power, and that they strongly believed that other renewables should be prioritised instead.
If the planning application is approved by Argyll and Bute Council, construction is expected to take around 12 months, with the windfarm going into operation some time in 2008.


HELP project manager answers critics
FOLLOWING the recent accusations levelled at them, housing support organisation HELP recently held an open day in their office in John Street, Dunoon.
The day was intended to educate local people about what the group does, and doesn’t do, with regards to homeless people between the ages of 16 and 25.
Project Manager, Janet K. MacKellar, organised the day as a result of recent publicity in which they felt that they have been subject to some unfair criticism from various quarters regarding anti-social neighbours in the town.
Mrs MacKellar said: “We are willing to take, and address, any criticism that we are due, however we have been criticised about matters that have nothing to do with us recently. We do not have any houses, we are not landlords.”
Mrs MacKellar then outlined the process when a young person becomes, or is about to become homeless.
She said that the person will go to the council, who will discuss the matter with them, and their parents with a view to sorting the situation out satisfactorily, with the person going back to the family home.
If there is to be no amicable resolution, then the person will be deemed homeless and found accommodation, usually in the form of a Bed and Breakfast. At this point, the council will contact HELP, who will meet with them and offer support. Whether their offer is taken up or not, is completely down to the individual.
If their support is taken up, then HELP will work with the person to ensure they know how to budget properly, do housework, claim the benefits they are entitled to, assist with job applications and offer moral support. They basically help with ‘life skills’.
Mrs MacKellar points out, however: “We are not supervisors. We are not in a policing role. If residents have a problem with any neighbours there are different options available to them. They could contact the Housing Department of the council, the police, or the Community Wardens.”
She added: “Anybody who has a problem with someone that we are supporting is more than welcome to contact us. We will then call that person in and discuss the matter with them. If they are in the wrong, we will let them know, in no uncertain terms.”
When asked her thoughts on why there are so many homeless youngsters nowadays, Mrs MacKellar’s response was that she felt that there are now so many families where the children have step-parents, and there are a lot who, unfortunately, don’t get on with their new family. She said: “There are a lot more divorces now. Family life is different. It is also very common that the new step-dad, for instance, will not get on with his partner’s children. Mum is then forced to make a decision on who stays in the house.”
When tackled about the situation in Cowal Place, which is where the initial story came from, Mrs MacKellar pointed out that of all the homeless people who have been housed there, only four people are actually supported by HELP. She also said that the people she believes the initial complaints were about are actually in employment.
Mrs MacKellar also stressed that she attends every Tenants and Residents Association meeting to see if there are any problems, and she makes a point of dealing with any issues that are raised. She also keeps in regular contact with the Community Wardens to ensure that she is aware of any problems with the tenants that they support.
Twenty-year-old Guy Finnegan was one man who couldn’t speak highly enough for what HELP has done for him. Guy said: “I was 16 when I got involved with HELP. They supported me, taught me everything I needed to know about living alone, all about budgeting, doing housework and all the stresses that go with looking after yourself. They were always there for me or just a phone call away.”
Guy continued: “I am now totally independent. Within a year, I knew everything that I needed to. I still pop in from time to time for a cup of tea and a chat.”
He added: “The people who have been writing in to the paper need to stop blaming HELP for everything. They do a fantastic job for those who are willing to let them help them.”
Mrs MacKellar concluded by saying: “We do have sympathy for those who have troublesome neighbours, but if that person is not associated with us, there really is nothing we can do.”


Residents seek solution to road concerns
RESIDENTS of Blairmore are becoming increasingly concerned with the conditions of White’s Brae in the village.
So much so, in fact, that a group of them have got together to challenge the owners of the road, Benmore Trust, with a view to getting the surface repaired.
There have been rumours that the refuse collection lorries will be stopped from going up the brae, and further rumours that the road may be closed altogether due to the dangerous state it is in.
Argyll and Bute Council have confirmed that there are no such plans at the moment to close the road, although they have been looking at alternatives with regards to the refuse collection point in the area.
One of the group, Susanna McGorry Rice, said that they were given hope when they saw that the council had approved the resurfacing of South Campbell Road in Innellan.
The council had confirmed, however, that the two matters are completely separate as the road in Innellan is actually owned by the council, with the road in Blairmore being owned by the Benmore Trust, despite the fact that there are still a few council houses in the estate.
Another resident, Pat Lynn, said: “All we want is for the road to be safe, and not to be cut off from our homes.” She went on to say: “There have been a couple of minor car and pedestrian accidents, but it won’t be long before there is a serious accident, which we all want to avoid.” She added: “We would like all the stakeholders to get together to try to come up with a solution.”
In a letter to residents, Councillor Bruce Marshall said that he is backing their campaign but claimed: “The points raised are important but will fall on deaf ears as far as Argyll and Bute Council are concerned.” He went on to say that: “White’s Brae is owned by Benmore Trust and I feel they should be the ones to bring this road up to an acceptable standard.”
However, it seems that Benmore Trust are taking the view that the cost of any repairs is down to the residents themselves.
When we contacted Angus Murray from the Benmore Trust he said that he will present a letter, recently received from Mrs Lynn, to the Trustees, but his opinion is that the upkeep of the road is down to those who use it.


CalMac makes ‘money saving’ split
State-owned ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne will be split into two new companies from the beginning of October.
One of the companies will be registered in Guernsey in the Channel Isles, resulting in substantial tax savings. The other will retain actual ownership of ferries and remain based at Gourock in Inverclyde.
The RMT union said it had been reassured by guarantees that pay and conditions for the 600 crew and staff would not be affected.
CalMac management said this could help it to become more competitive during the tendering process for its own routes.
The winner of the first tender, for the Gourock to Dunoon route, is expected to be announced at the end of October.
This announcement follows the launch last week of the £8m addition to Caledonian MacBrayne’s ferry fleet.
The MV Argyle, which will be a sister ship for the MV Bute, was launched in Gdansk, Poland and will operate on the company’s busiest route, Wemyss Bay to Rothesay.