Plans by a Perth-based utility to build a new 31-turbine wind farm in Ayrshire have been rejected by local councillors.
Each wind turbine blade would have a maximum height of 126.5 meters.
The Planning Committee at South Ayrshire Council threw out the SSE application for Hadyard Hill wind farm, about four miles east of Girvan after officials highlighted ‘significant adverse’ visual impacts of the proposed development.
They said there would be ‘daily significant visual effects’ on the southern edge of the Hadyard Hill site along the southern edge / on the B734 country road and significant adverse effects on the setting of one scheduled monument – Dalquharran Castle.
Dalquharran Castle is a category A listed building designed by celebrated architect Robert Adam – who designed large parts of Edinburgh’s historic New Town – in the 1790s. The castle now lies in ruins after the roof was removed to avoid local taxation in the 1960s.
An SSE spokesman said: “Following an internal review, we have made the decision to withdraw the Hadyard Hill Wind Farm Extension Section 36 Application.
“Whilst we believe that some concerns and objections were overstated, and that the application would have had a reasonable likelihood of success at Inquiry, we have decided for commercial reasons not to seek to proceed this particular application.”
30 Nov 2017
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