Moray campaigners fear wind turbines will wreck Speyside forest ahead of public meeting
Campaigners have said new wind power and pylon schemes may cause the “desecration” of their rural area.
Save Our Speyside (SOS), a new group based in rural Moray formed to oppose controversial energy projects, argued that the Teindland Forest, a popular recreation spot for the community, could be “completely destroyed” by 230 metre wind turbines.
Through two schemes, named Teindland and Blackhills, turbines are planned both east and west of the woodland.
SOS have called a public meeting at Inchberry Hall, at 7pm on Friday, August 23, to hear the community’s views on the proposals, along with a pylon plan by SSEN transmission.
However European Energy, the firm behind the Teindland scheme, said they were investigating the site which was offered to them by Forestry and Land Scotland.
A spokesperson added that “team values” were important to the company, which plans to “work with the local community to design the project”.
However Councillor Derek Ross (Speyside Glenlivet, Independent) said the projects were part of a wider problem, the “industrialisation of Speyside”.
“People are incandescent with rage,” he added.
The local councillor also claimed the turbines would dominate the skyline, visible from both Fochabers and Elgin, dwarfing even Moray’s largest buildings.
That includes the Duke of Gordon monument at Ladyhill, the column of which is only 27 metres tall.
“These turbines are 230 metres to the tip,” Cllr Ross said.
“How many buildings are that big in Elgin - in Moray?
“That is much higher than the top of the Ladyhill tower.”
New Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey MP Graham Leadbitter (SNP) and MSP Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands, Conservative) are confirmed speakers at the public meeting.
Teindland, a scheme by companies Locogen and European Energy, will see up to 17 wind turbines built - 230 metres high - with a 40-year lifespan.
And Blackhills, proposed by Koehler Renewable Energy, plans up to eight 200 metre wind turbines near the Glen of Rothes and a lithium-ion battery storage facility.
SOS campaigners claimed turbines from two developments will be visible from both Elgin and Fochabers.
Also helping lead the charge against the developments is Ian Gibb MBE, who rejects the terms “wind farm” and “solar farm”.
He believes calling them “farms” is misleading, instead describing them as “permanent, industrial power schemes”.
Mr Gibb is the chairman of the Moray Federation of Community Halls and Associations, which represents more than 50 halls in the area.
He claimed the proposed sites were partly on areas of deep peat which, in a fire, can burn underground dangerously for a long time.
Also a concern was “high fire risk” lithium ion battery storage which, he said the fire service: “don’t know how put out”.
He also believes the schemes could threaten water supplies, local plants and wildlife and impact the whisky and tourism sectors.
He said that the new proposals echo a scheme at nearby Brownmuir, which was rejected 15 years ago.
“Quite frankly, to see such a thing being proposed 15 years after the initial project was discarded, is just desecrating the local area,” Mr Gibb said.
Cllr Ross added: “Most of the people who are involved in this are the same as the Brownmuir scheme.
“But, between it and the Blackhills scheme, nothing has changed. It’s just bigger now.”
Also a concern for SOS is the prospect of an increased number of lorry traffic on rural roads.
Mr Gibb said all possible access routes to Teindland for lorries are unfit for purpose.
“Lorries are meant to be coming down the A96 from Inverness, turning off at the junction at Sheriffston B9105, and coming in to the entrance to the Teindland,” he said.
“There’s a 13-foot bridge, a railway bridge on that road.
“Have they considered that?
“And going via Fogwatt is even more stupid.
“Are they proposing that new roads be developed?
“You might as well dual the A96, which we’re very keen on by the way.”
A spokesperson for European Energy UK said: “We are investigating the possibility of a project within Teindland Wood, north of Rothes.
“The site was chosen from a portfolio made available for renewable energy projects by Forestry Land Scotland.
“We have already begun the consultation process, holding events with the community earlier this year to present initial ideas and to invite local knowledge and feedback on the proposals.
“Our team values consultation as a key component in the development process and we are keen to work with the local community to design the project.
“Later in the year, we will be hosting further public events as well as an online consultation and we are more than happy to engage with all groups to address any issues that might arise.
“Further information and a feedback form can be found here www.teindlandwindfarm.com”
SOS is also battling plans from SSEN to place pylons and power lines near homes in the area, as part of the Beauly to Peterhead transmission line.
An SSEN Transmission spokesperson said: “To help deliver UK and Scottish Government energy security and net zero targets, we have been tasked with delivering a series of critical national electricity transmission infrastructure projects across our operating area in the north of Scotland, which are part of a wider upgrade of the transmission network across Great Britain.
“These investments are key to deliver against our national endeavour for a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system for future generations.
“As a stakeholder-led business consultation is a crucial part of our project development process, where feedback received during our consultation and engagement events has already led to changes to overhead line routes and substation locations.
“For the Beauly to Blackhillock to New Deer to Peterhead 400kV overhead line development, we continue to assess all feedback received during our most recent round of engagement events, which will be carefully considered to help inform the ongoing development of our projects.”
