Moray Council urged to reverse ‘illogical decision’ not to raise formal objection to wind farm plans in The Cabrach
Moray Council is being urged to reverse an “illogical” decision not to raise a full objection to the development of turbines in a “fragile” community.
Last year, councillors for the local authority signed off on a recommendation not to submit a formal objection to the application for the Clashindarroch Extension Wind Farm in The Cabrach, located just a few miles south of Dufftown.
That was despite officers raising a number of “serious concerns” about the development.
Residents and campaigners say further developments in the area could undermine hopes to regenerate the once thriving community.
One resident told The Northern Scot earlier this year that they would leave the area for good if further developments were given the go-ahead.
The Ministry of Defence has also objected to the plans due to fears it could endanger low-flying jets.
Saving The Cabrach, a group which has been fighting for the Clashindarroch application to be denied, has now written to councillors as well as Moray Council’s interim chief executive John Mundell calling for a formal objection to be raised.
Councillors chose not to raise an objection in June 2023 following advice that defending an objection would be “expensive and pointless” because the Scottish Government has not rejected a development of this kind for over 20 years.
The Cabrach Trust chief executive Jonathan Christie sent the letter on behalf of Saving The Cabrach.
He said: “When Moray Council’s position was agreed, it felt wholly illogical that so many concerns did not add up to a formal objection.
“Where I can understand, to an extent, Moray Council’s view that opposition is futile based on their experience across the last 20 years, we have reached a point whereby the cumulative impact associated with multiple wind farms, so heavily concentrated in one place, demands an altogether different level of scrutiny.
“That Moray Council’s own Landscape Sensitivity Study, adopted in 2023, states that there is no further capacity for largescale onshore wind developments in The Cabrach makes this decision all the more difficult to understand.”
Within a 10km radius of the The Cabrach there are currently 77 operational turbines with a further 21 consented across across four wind farms.
Outside of Clashindarroch Extension, there is a further application for 11 turbines at Craig Watch as well as two scoping applications for a further 85 turbines.
The Cabrach Trust has also written to Quebec-based firm Boralex, which will operate the wind farm, requesting a meeting.
This was rejected, however, with Mr Christie labelling the response “extremely unhelpful”.
Mr Christie hopes a motion to withdraw the June 2023 submission can be lodged at a forthcoming council meeting which all councillors can support.
