Community unites against Kinnettles wind turbines 

There is mounting opposition to plans to erect four 125.5 metre turbines on a site at Kinnettles.

The project has deeply concerned local people and businesses, who have formed an action group to lobby against the development on a site named Berrymuir, between Forfar and Glamis.

Having undertaken a preliminary consultation, the group, Against Kinnettles Turbines (AKT), found strong local opposition to the development.

Since then a petition has been drawn up, and was placed before Glamis Community Council at a presentation made by AKT on Monday evening.

The petition states: “We oppose the building of a wind farm at Kinnettles, so close to houses and with such an overwhelming visual impact on the Vale of Strathmore and the surrounding area.”

Group members informed the community council that over 400 local people have already signed the petition and that numbers were growing rapidly.

“This show of concern is all the more impressive given that it has been organised over only a three-week period and during a time when many families have been on holiday,” explains an AKT spokesperson.

“This overwhelming local solidarity against the proposed building of giant turbines so close to people’s homes clearly demonstrates where the local community stands on this issue.

“AKT found that over 90% of people approached were opposed to the proposed development.”

AKT members expressed their gratitude for the time that the community council had made to hear the community’s concerns.

They undertook to keep in close touch with the Glamis Community Council, other nearby community councils and also to keep Angus councillors informed.

“It was emphasised that people who had signed the petition were not against wind farms in general, but they were hugely worried that these turbines were proposed to be sited too close to local homes and villages such as Douglastown, Kinnettles and Ingliston and even to parts of Forfar,” continued the AKT spokesperson.

“These massive turbines, more than three times the height of the nearby pylons, would be erected within 1,500 metres of some 99 dwellings.

“Some houses are even situated within 700 metres of a proposed turbine.

“The close proximity of the turbines could lead to possible implications for noise, shadow flicker from the sun and other effects detrimental to public health.

“The Scottish Government Planning Policy Document itself recommends a two-kilometre set-back distance from dwellings to help reduce the impact on local communities.”

AKT say that many local residents are justifiably worried about negative effects on the value of their properties and even on the ability to sell these properties.

“At a time of economic recession, the mere publicising of this wind farm proposal has made it difficult for some families living close to the site to sell their houses and in that way it has started to blight their lives.”

AKT point out that this proposed project is a commercial enterprise, expected to produce profits running into many millions of pounds for both Enertrag and the land owners, over a period of at least 25 years.

“However, this profit would come at the cost of disfiguring the landscape and reducing other people’s property values, many of whom have worked hard to purchase property so they could live in this picturesque, quiet part of Angus,” said the AKT spokesperson.

“The turbines being proposed so close to houses is also insensitive to residents’ basic human right to enjoy the peace of their home.”