20 Nov 2024
The march towards even taller turbines for wind farms appears to be continuing.
Turbine height, and the associated visual impact, is an issue that many in the Borders and surrounding areas are concerned about.
However, a new consultation from Dumfries and Galloway Council has proposed changes to its current framework for assessing the impact of onshore wind farms. The new consultation has been created following a rise in developer applications for taller wind turbines (exceeding 150m in height).
The rising height of wind turbines is a contentious issue and is often the main reason developments are rejected as has been the case in the Borders at Wull Muir, Gilston Hill, and Faw Side Community Wind Farm, to name a few.
Similarly, in Dumfries in Galloway, developments such as Mochrum Fell and Garcrogo Hill and Barmark Hill have been objected with turbine height and visual impact cited as a major concern.
The consultation would create new tools to assess the landscape impacts of wind energy proposals under current policy and environmental contexts. This could change how decisions are made with regard to future wind farm developments.
The council is encouraging public participation from anyone who is interested. The consultation is open until 20 December.
Are turbines due to get even taller in Dumfries in Galloway? Will this embolden wind developers to push boundaries even further? And if so, what does this mean for the Borders?
More information on the consultation can be found here: https://dumgal.gov.uk/article/27297/Consultation-on-the-Draft-Wind-Energy-Landscape-Sensitivity-Study-Supplementary-Guidance