Four more public consultation dates planned for Hill of Fare turbines
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Developer RES are set to hold four more public exhibitions for local residents on Tuesday, June 20 and Wednesday 21.
On June 20, RES will be at Banchory Town Hall between 11am and 2pm and Midmar Hall between 5pm and 8pm
On June 21, RES will be at the Learney Hall between 11am and 2pm and Echt Hall between 5pm and 8pm.
These will show the updated development since the feedback received from the October 2022 exhibitions.
These exhibitions are the last public opportunity for feedback to RES about the development before the full planning application is submitted to the Scottish Government over the summer, with a July 6 closing date noted.
Gavin Shirley, Development Project Manager at RES said: “We received a fantastic turn-out at our previous October 2022 exhibitions, with more than 370 attendees, and the feedback received has helped to refine the updated wind farm design.
"The feedback has also helped to shape our final exhibition events for which we’ve made a commitment to an event in Banchory.
“We would encourage as many people as possible to visit one of these events if they’re interested in learning about the changes we’ve made to the scheme as well as the positive opportunities and benefits that the proposal could deliver to the area.
"These include proposals for RES’ unique Local Electricity Discount Scheme (LEDS) which could offer an annual discount to the electricity bills of those properties closest to the wind farm.
"This appears to be a popular proposal based on feedback from the last events.
“Furthermore, should the project be consented, RES will work with the community to develop a tailored community benefits package to help secure long-term economic, social and environmental benefits for the local area.
"In line with this, we are inviting further feedback from the community at the June events on the projects, ideas, and local priorities that they would like to see supported by the project.”
Since the previous exhibitions RES has reviewed the consultation feedback from the community and project stakeholders and has made some key changes to the design including the tip heights of turbines being lowered from 250m to a mix of 180m and 200m and turbine numbers reduced from 17 to 16.
Anyone wishing to provide feedback and ideas for local benefits to RES can do so in writing by filling out a comments form at the exhibition events or online from the project website at www.hilloffare-windfarm.co.ukfrom Tuesday June 20 when copies of the exhibition information will be available on the project website for people to view.
The closing date for comments is Thursday July 6.
Comments submitted to RES during these exhibitions or subsequent consultation period are not representations to the determining authority (The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit).
There will be an opportunity to submit representations to the determining authority should a planning application be submitted.
