Proposed Clachan Windfarm - Planning Application No. 11/0244

[NickB]

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This application will be considered at the Council’s Planning Meeting this Wednesday 19th September at Kilmory, Lochgilphead. The meeting starts at 10.30.

Members of the public may attend but are not allowed to speak. The agenda for the meeting can allegedly be be accessed on the Argyll and Bute website, though a cursory search failed to reveal it - perhaps someone could post a link?

I have been told that it is likely that the Committee will refer the matter to a public hearing probably in October. The public will be able to speak at this hearing and make their views known.

[Minimum]

Not much point in going tomorrow then, but we had better gird our loins for October!

[NickB]

.
At the Council planning meeting today, the final decision on the planning application for Clachan Windfarm was deferred to a Discretionary Hearing because of the degree of public interest. This will take place ‘locally’ probably after a site visit by the Councillors. Members of the public will be able to attend and speak at this meeting.

The application has been recommended for refusal by the Argyll and Bute Planning Department.

[carbonfreeseil]

No doubt quite a few will speak against the wind farm at the public meeting.
I would like to urge all of those who are worried about Climate Change to consider expressing their views too. There is now no doubt we are facing imminent global catastrophe; the current disappearance of the Artic ice is the final warning sign. I know a dozen turbines will not solve the problem but they will help a bit and the time has now come when we must all do our bit. If every community on the planet does its bit then the world will be doing a lot and we may just save ourselves from total disaster. We can't opt out because if we do why shouldn't everyone. There are three other potential sites around here for wind farms. Lets not let our first be refused because that would set the precedent for any others we need.
For your children and grandchildren.

[MonaLott]

Anyone worried about climate change should, in my view, support the extension of our nuclear energy programme.

[NickB]

Anyone worried about climate change should, in my view, support the extension of our nuclear energy programme.

It is of course possible to support both . . . they are not mutually exclusive.

[MonaLott]

Yes, Nick, you are quite right - it would be possible to support both, rather in the same way someone might like both a symphony orchestra and a kazoo!

[Seventhseil]

I see dunmor wind turbines, seem to have passed you guys by.......

[MonaLott]

While the more turbines that pass me by the better, could you please explain your cryptic comment?

[Seventhseil]

http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ ... SM1CHCH000

Caught napping guys, Don Quixote would be ashamed...........

[NickB]

http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ ... SM1CHCH000

Caught napping guys, Don Quixote would be ashamed...........

27.1m and 20kw - pretty small fry.

[Seventhseil]

either people are against them or not....... you can't have it both ways, there are a couple of big-uns goiing up on luing too, I mean if people don't get really exercised by these small scale ones, it's almost as if they don't rally care about it except when its out side there window...... and most importantly affecting the value of their property.

[NickB]

either people are against them or not....... you can't have it both ways, there are a couple of big-uns goiing up on luing too, I mean if people don't get really exercised by these small scale ones, it's almost as if they don't rally care about it except when its out side there window...... and most importantly affecting the value of their property.

Some people who are anti large windfarms are in favour of smaller ones - especially if they are community owned. For example, the leading light behind the No-Tiree-Array campaign is totally supportive of Tilley, the Tiree community turbine - which of course brings a considerable sum into the island coffers.

Others might be in favour only of off-grid turbines (like the one on our boat )

Total opposition to all wind turbines everywhere is irrational. I call it 'turbophobia'.

I agree with you that most folk who object to windfarms are probably worried mainly about their views and/or their property prices (quite reasonable but could be seen by some as being a tad selfish). Anti-wind groups tend to embrace any and every technical, economic and political argument that they think supports their cause, but their real focus is generally much nearer home.

[Pentlandpirate]

I agree with you that most folk who object to windfarms are probably worried mainly about their views and/or their property prices (quite reasonable but could be seen by some as being a tad selfish). Anti-wind groups tend to embrace any and every technical, economic and political argument that they think supports their cause, but their real focus is generally much nearer home.

I think the opposite argument is equally true, that those that want a wind farm may also want it for equally selfish reasons.

I was interested to see the Daily Mail use the word 'bribe' yesterday to descibe payments to communities by developers, see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... bills.html

[NickB]

I think the opposite argument is equally true, that those that want a wind farm may also want it for equally selfish reasons.

Developers certainly do - but then developers of anything are, sadly, usually selfish rather than altruistic.

However, in a new DECC poll published yesterday 66% of the 2,100 people polled were in favour of onshore wind development. It is hard to imagine that they all had something to gain from this support.

[Minimum]

Funnily enough it doesn't show what questions were used to judge if there was any bias or not.

[NickB]

Funnily enough it doesn't show what questions were used to judge if there was any bias or not.

It was pretty innocuous / neutral:

Q13. Generally speaking, do you support or oppose the use of the following renewable energy developments?

[RANDOMISE ORDER OF STATEMENTS]

a) On-shore wind
b) Biomass – this includes any plant or animal based material such as wood, specially grown energy crops, and other organic wastes that can be used in the process of creating energy
c) Off-shore wind
d) Wave and tidal
e) Solar

IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE: Is that fully or mostly?

[INVERT ORDER OF RESPONSES 1-5]

1. Strongly support
2. Support
3. Neither support nor oppose
4. Oppose
5. Strongly oppose
6. Don't know

[Seventhseil]

lets remind ourself of the bias nature of the daily mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... irrel.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... duced.html

I mean they are racist about squirrels for goodness sake.......

[Husker Doo]

Pentland reads the Mail why am i not suprised

[Pentlandpirate]

Pentland reads the Mail why am i not suprised

And other papers and news media. How else do you get a balanced view?