Locals in a Scottish burgh have criticised plans for the biggest onshore wind park in the UK.
The Cabrach is an estate and mostly depopulated rural community situated a few miles south of Dufftown in Moray. It is already home to 77 wind turbines, though proposed plans for further developments could see it become the largest onshore wind park in the nation.
The proposed 74-turbine wind farm comes from wind energy developers Galileo. The company has held a consultation on the prospect of offering household electricity discounts for residents in and around the Cabrach.
However, residents have accused developers of attempting to “bribe” them with cheaper electricity. They have told officials to “keep their money” following the launch of a public consultation for the project at The Cabrach.
Galileo has outlined initial plans to give each household within 5 kilometres of the site a subsidy. The discount would be equivalent to 100 per cent of the annual average electricity bill.
Trevor Smith, who moved to the area last year with his partner, is among those who would be eligible for the subsidy. They left family and friends on the Isle of Wight for what they believed was their dream home, though they insist they will leave if additional developments get the go-ahead.
Smith commented: “A bit of free electricity isn’t enough quite frankly. We would say keep your money and keep your turbines.
“We don’t need anymore. We’ve got enough.
“They hardly ever turn. We’d rather just pay our electricity bill as it is at the moment and keep the turbines that we’ve got because we don’t have a choice with those. They’re already here.
“It’s a bribe in my view but if the government rides roughshod over the community then at the very least give us the free electricity but also give us compensation for loss of value to property as well. No matter how many people’s bills they pay, if that’s what they intend to do, it doesn’t forgive or validate the trashing of the landscape, the killing of the wildlife and the spoiling of a very historical site.”
In spite of the opposition of some locals, Galileo has said it is determined to be “good neighbours” to the Cabrach. The company states that the offer of electricity subsidies is recognition that, in the past, community benefit funds have been “poorly allocated”.
Galileo’s Senior Project Manager Jason Morin says that the energy provider is keen for the benefits of the power generated in the area to be made available to locals. He commented: “We have already announced that everyone in the immediate local area will receive a payment every year equivalent to the average annual electricity bill, but the scale of our development makes possible something that goes much wider, and deeper.
“However, there remains much to be set out in the detail of our scheme, including the level of support as you move away from the immediate local area. We are determined that our innovative project, delivering both clean, green power and also one of the largest peatland restoration projects in the country, also makes a tangible difference for local people.
“I encourage everyone living near the project to take part (in the public consultation) and share their views.”
The Dorenell Extension Wind Farm and Biodiversity Enhancement Plan is in the initial stages of development, with proposals including 74 turbines, a battery storage scheme, and a peatland restoration project. It is expected that a formal planning application will be submitted in 2025.
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