Drumclog 11-turbine windfarm given go-ahead.

Jan 28 2010 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

PLANS for an 11-turbine wind farm near Drumclog were this week given the go-ahead.

The scheme on the slopes of Bankend Rig, to the southwest of the Glengavel reservoir, had attracted 303 letters of objection.

Concerns included visual impact, high noise levels and road disruption through Strathaven during the transportation of the turbines.

However, the windfarm accords with Government renewable energy policy and is expected to generate 14.3 megawatts of electricity.

An access road to the site which lies near the East Ayrshire border is being considered by that authority.

South Lanarkshire’s planning committee approved I. and H. Brown Bankend Rig Limited’s proposal on Tuesday.

Permission, however, was conditional on legal agreements, whose terms included a bond for “the restoration and aftercare” of the site.

Scottish Natural Heritage had no objections to the scheme provided that mitigation measures, covered by an S75 planning agreement, are implemented to their satisfaction to ensure the “integrity” of the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area.

Further conditions included an indemnity agreement between the applicant and the roads authority ensuring that road maintenance costs are met by the applicant for the duration of the turbine transportation period.

South Lanarkshire executive director (enterprise resources) Colin McDowall told councillors: “It is inevitable that a development of this scale will have an environmental impact.

“The applicant has prepared a comprehensive proposal and has taken account of the many detailed impacts of the proposed development.

“I conclude that the benefits of the proposal, in contributing towards Scotland’s renewable energy target, outweigh any adverse impacts.

“It is clear from (detailed assessments) however that such impacts are not considered to be significant.”

Mr McDowall recommended that detailed planning permission be subject to the conclusion of a S75 and S96 (Roads Scotland Act) agreement.

He added: “Should the committee be of a mind to approve the application, consent should be withheld until legal agreements have been concluded in order to ensure that development and operation of the site takes place in an acceptable manner, and that any impacts are properly mitigated.”