Why we are doing what we are doing

This site has been created because we are concerned about inappropriately large wind turbines.

We are not anti-wind or anti-renewables and we haven't objected to the smaller developments in the area. However, recently there have been projects at various stages of planning that are three and four times the size of any of the turbines that are currently in the area. Unlike the existing Turbine projects, these benefit the few, to the massive detriment of the community.

Sunday 12 June 2011

Fife Council releases new policy guidelines on Wind Energy

Spot Fife has given a warm welcome to the new policy guidelines referring to Wind Energy. We believe it provides the Planners with a set of tools to properly scrutinise potential developments with small numbers of medium sized turbines, however we are concerned about the minimum distance between a turbine and a dwelling being only 10 rotor diameters to protect from shadow flicker. We have found no research to provide the efficacy of this rather arbitrary measurement, in fact there is plenty of research that shows this does not provide enough protection to householders.

To find out more, you can download the guidelines here:
http://admin.1fife.org.uk/uploadfiles/publications/c64_Item08-combined6.pdf

Newington Farm wind turbine rejected (The Courier)


The construction of a wind turbine north of Cupar has been prevented after those behind it refused to provide councillors with further details of the potential for noise nuisance.

The Browns, of Inverdovat Farm, Newport, wanted planning permission for a 41.5m turbine at Newington Farm, near Luthrie. Electricity from the turbine would have been used for farm cold stores, with surplus sold to the national grid. However, the application was knocked back by Fife Council's north-east Fife area committee, which was told that the information it requested a month ago about acoustics at the nearest residential properties had been declined.

Howe of Fife and Tay Coast councillor David MacDiarmidproposed the turbine should not be built as it could createnoise nuisance, would harm the landscape and impact visual amenity.

He said, "We asked for more further noise information, the applicant has refused and we are being asked to put through this wind turbineapplication."I still don't think we have the information we need."

Cupar councillor Roger Guy said, "I find it difficult to see why we are proceeding with this application without sufficient information on noise." After being asked to provide more specific data after a meeting last month, the applicants simply referred to wind turbine guidance for turbines of that category.

Planner Mary Stewart told the committee that that guidance had been followed and that the councillors' request was above and beyond what was normally expected.
Her department recommended that consent be given with a condition that the turbine operated below a set noise level.

Creich and Flisk Community Council was pleased with the outcome.
Chairman Alan Evans said, "Although potential noise nuisance was considered important, it was the effect of this sizable structure on the sensitive rural landscape around Moonzie and also on the adjacent Tay coast special landscape area which seemed to sway the committee.

"The overriding consideration when judging development proposals in designated landscape areas is that they must either maintain or enhance the landscape and in this case that clearly could not be achieved with a structure of this size at this exposed site."
He added, "It was noted that the proposal breached many of Fife Council's own planning policies and we are very pleased that councillors used this as an effective tool to maintain the unspoilt landscape character of this area."