Fears have been raised that the foothills of the Angus glens will become the ”echo chamber” of Scotland’s wind energy revolution.
The claim was made on Tuesday in a failed bid to halt a 46.5-metre turbine on a hill just a few kilometres west of the Reekie Linn beauty spot. Angus development standards councillors voted in favour of the plans.
Diane Ramsay sought permission for the 250kw turbine on the northern slope of Balduff Hill, near Kilry, as the latest stage in a green scheme for the 60 acres she and her husband took over almost 20 years ago.
Their environmental efforts have already included the installation of a geothermal heat pump and restoring an ancient threshing mill to provide power through a mini-hydro scheme.
But the turbine plan led to almost 30 letters of objection. Resident Charles Bird urged councillors not to let the area become a ”laboratory experiment.”
Mr Bird, from Kilry Lodge just north of the site, focused on the physical and psychological health implications of wind turbines. He said the council would be ”naive” to ignore what he claimed is growing evidence that turbines can have adverse health effects.
”We are going to be a laboratory experiment, an echo chamber for these turbines,” he said. ”There are growing compensation claims (over the health effects) and if this is approved I have to say that we reserve the right to claim compensation in the future.”
Councillor Bob Spink said: ”My overwhelming feeling says that having turbines all over the country is not the right way to go. I am not convinced.
”But we have here a single-turbine application. I congratulate the applicants on their environmental efforts and on a planning view there is not a single statutory advisor who has said that this is not in the right place.”
Councillors voted 6-4 to approve the plans.