Inverneill residents are so concerned about the potential impact of a proposed wind farm less than a mile from the community that a residents’ group has been formed to object.
Among the concerns are the size of the turbines and the scale of the development; the potential for noise pollution; the close proximity to the Inverneill, Brenfield and Ardrishaig, barely a 1.5 miles away; the industrialisation of the landscape; and the impact on a drinking water protected area and Mid Argyll’s drinking water quality.
The proposal for 17 turbines, standing at 220 metres, from energy company Low Carbon is due to be submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit by winter 2024-25.
A public information event on the proposed High Brenfield development, as part of the company’s scoping exercise, was held on November 29 in Ardrishaig’s North Hall and was attended by a number of Inverneill residents, who have since raised their concerns.
Louise Gurr said: “We are so concerned we have formed a local residents’ group for people from Inverneill and Brenfield to object to this attempt at having enormous wind turbines dumped on our doorstep.
“It feels like Low Carbon and the London-based landowner want to ride rough shod over our community.”
Mark Cameron, who runs a business in Inverneill, said: “This is a London-based land owner and internationally-funded developer which appears to be exploiting the favourable regulatory situation introduced by the Scottish Government earlier this year.
“This is called the National Development Frame 4, which removes minimum distance requirements and allows wind farms to be built close to residential areas.
“As I understand it Argyll and Bute is effectively carbon neutral with the currently approved wind farm sites.
“The development at High Brenfield is simply seeking to industrialise the rural landscape and jeopardise much of the natural assets the area boasts to attract visitors.
“I do wonder what the wider costs will be in terms of lost business revenues as visitor numbers drop and the resulting depopulation from an already fragile area.
“As a business owner it does make me think twice about continuing to base our business in Mid Argyll.”
Kate Haig added: “I am supportive of wind farms in general and currently the view from our house includes the Allt Dearg Wind Farm, to which I have no objection.
“However, the massive scale of the proposed turbines for High Brenfield, and their proximity to residential properties, alarms me.
“Amongst other environmental impacts, I am particularly concerned about the potential for significant noise pollution.”
“Given that the planned towers are of a height to be visible from Mull to Ayrshire and would encroach within a mile of some Ardrishaig homes, it’s hard to imagine how this development could be anything other than hugely disruptive, degrading and disturbing to the landscape, nature and people of Mid Argyll,” added resident Graeme Kemp.
For instance, it is thought shadow flicker from the sun setting behind the turbines would reach Lochgilphead.
Kate Connelly added: “The information provided so far gives us no confidence that the developers have fully understood and are prepared to effectively address its negative environmental consequences, particularly the damage to our vulnerable watercourses and peatlands.”
Pamela Hamilton, who has a background in water treatment, is very concerned about wind turbines within both the protected and very sensitive Drinking Water Supply Zone for Ardrishaig Water Treatment Works and the linked adjacent, previously development-protected, deep peat carbon sink areas.
Four of the proposed turbines have been planned on the drinking water protected area, which feeds into the reservoir that supplies Mid Argyll’s drinking water.
She said that felling, road and turbine construction on peat soil would cause irreversible ground damage which, along with high rainfall, would lead to cloudier water and metal-bearing leachates being released into Kilduskland Loch.
“This loch is relatively small and cannot absorb rapid changes in raw water quality from polluted run-off,” she said.
“Inverneill already has two wind farms and the Argyll and Kintyre 275kV network running through the middle of a tiny hamlet.
“In the interest of fairness and Argyll and Bute Council’s Local Development Plan 2 pledge – to promote health and wellbeing from planning decisions – it needs to take more proactive steps to secure drinking water demands for the future developments it envisages as well as the existing ones. I am sure another less socially impactful site could be found,” she said, adding: “I realise that the size of this wind farm requires Scottish Government approval and not local planning.”
Argyll and Bute Council produced a report in 2017 stating there were no more suitable sites for wind farms in Argyll, but the proposed generating capacity on this site is such that planning consent needs Scottish Government approval.
Two previous planning applications for a wind farm development in the same area have been rejected because of their potential impact.
Low Carbon hopes approval will be granted in 2026, with a two-year construction phase beginning in 2027. If approved, the wind farm could be operational by 2028-29.
Comments on the scoping report are due in by January 12, 2024 and Ardrishaig Community Council was due to hold a further public feedback exercise on Wednesday this week, as the Advertiser went to press.