Wind turbine developers in the wrong
Sir, I walk regularly in Montreathmont Forest and at the weekend was dismayed to see that Wind Prospect had erected a wind monitoring mast, despite the objections of over 1000 people to the proposed wind turbine development in the forest.
Only a few hundred yards from the mast we saw a family of woodpeckers, a fieldfare and a red squirrel feeding on the forest floor.
There is an ambundance of different types of wildlife in these woods and I cannot believe that a major industrial development like this could even be considered for a woodland area.
It is also home to a healthy red squirrel population, which must be one of the last in the Angus area.
However, my dismay turned to anger as I drew near and saw that the mast had been erected without the bird scarers and diverters recommended by SNH, illustrations of which were supplied to Angus Council(1].
In response, to SNH's recommendation that these measures be taken to protect the birds, Angus Council assured SNH that their recommendations would be a condition attached to any planning permission granted for the mast(2].
However, it appears that Wind Prospect are a law unto themselves, since they have flouted these recommendations and planning conditions.
There are at least 28 cables attached to the mast and at times the light makes these almost invisible. Birds flying in this area will not see the cables and may be injured or worse by them.
It is appalling that a wind monitoring mast should have been allowed in what is a greatly valued wildlife sanctuary in the middle of Angus.
However, the very least the public should expect is that SNH recommendations and any planning conditions attached to the development should be implemented by Wind Prospect.
What is the point of putting hard-pressed SNH to the trouble of advising on this type of development if a developer is at liberty to ignore their advice?
Wind Prospect must be made to either make the mast compliant immediately or take it down.
Yours etc.,
Isla Scott,
Eastmill House Gardens,
Brechin.
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Weather for Brechin
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
