A councillor has criticised a decision by Fife Council’s Planning Review Body (FPRB) to allow three 25-metre-high wind turbines on the side of East Lomond at Drums Farm.
An appointed officer of Fife Council had rejected the application on the grounds of visual impact. The decision did not go before the council’s area committee because there were not enough objections.
However, Drums Farming Company successfully appealed against the decision, which has now been overturned by Fife Council’s Planning Review Body.
Howe of Fife Conservative member Andy Heer said: “This application was refused by a planning officer because it contravened so many policies on the siting of wind turbines.
“The applicant then asked for a review by the Planning Review Body. This body comprising only five councillors, three of them from outwith North East Fife, then decided to ignore the Howe of Fife Local Plan, the St Andrews and East Fife Local Plan, the ASH report, Fife Council’s own Planning Customer Guidelines for Renewable Energy and Fife Council’s Supplementary Planning Guidance on Wind Energy and granted planning permission.
“They also ignored the views of the local community council.
“I understand that the decision was by three votes to two, with three councillors from Markinch and Dunfermline determining this decision to allow a windfarm in North East Fife.
“What makes it ironic is that the chairman of the Planning Review Body (John Beare) is the same councillor who has been so vocal in the press recently, decrying the council decision on planning review, saying that taking away planning decisions from local committees is undemocratic.
“The first I knew of this decision was when a constituent contacted me asking if the windfarm could be stopped. Unfortunately, it now appears to be a “done deal” against the wishes of the local community and Fife Council’s own policies.”
Responding, however, SNP councillor Mr Beare, who is chairman of the Planning Review Body and also the council’s opposition spokesperson on planning, said Mr Heer had to accept the Tories had inadvertently backed the planning review body when they supported the minority Labour administration shortly after the May elections.
Mr Beare said: “To seek to decry members of the council because of where they live is tantamount to racism and, frankly, it is unbecoming a member of the council.
“Councillor Heer needs to grow up and understand what he, his party in Fife and his party in Holyrood voted for and the consequences of his own actions or maybe the Christmas frivolities have gone to his head.
“If Councillor Heer wants to remain a member of the planning committee, let alone a member of the council, he really needs to understand what he is talking about. The LRB of October 1 considered the impact on the landscape, residential amenity, road safety, ecology and aviation safety.
“The FPRB considered the terms of the Development Plan, which comprises the TAYplan Strategic Development Plan 2012 and the St Andrews and East Fife Local Plan 2012.
“At the meeting on October 1 the FPRB were aware that the Cupar and Howe of Fife Local Plan 2003 was about to be superseded by the St Andrews and East Fife Plan after its adoption on October 5.
“In the circumstances the FPRB placed the main policy consideration on the terms of the 2012 adopted Local Plan. The FPRB were also aware that the Fife Structure plan had been superseded in this part of Fife by the TAYplan and therefore did not consider the terms of the Fife Structure Plan.
“The FPRB also considered the terms of the council’s supplementary planning guidance on Wind Energy.
“It should also be noted that the application was for three 25-metre turbines and only managed to attract three objections.”
malexander@thecourier.co.uk