Argyll and Bute Council Development and Infrastructure Services Delegated or Committee Planning Application Report and Report of handling as required by Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 relative to applications for Planning Permission or Planning Permission in Principle ____________________________________________________________________________ Reference No : 10/02000/PP Planning Hierarchy : Local Development Applicant : Eilean Eisdeal Proposal : Erection of 1 No. 15 metre high (hub) 6kw wind turbine Site Address : Land Southeast of Easdale Museum, Easdale ____________________________________________________________________________ DECISION ROUTE Local Government Scotland Act 1973 ____________________________________________________________________________ (A) THE APPLICATION (i) Development Requiring Express Planning Permission • Erection of 1 No. 15 metre high (hub) 6kw wind turbine ____________________________________________________________________________ (B) RECOMMENDATION: Having due regard to the Development Plan and all other material considerations, it is recommended that planning permission be refused for the reasons appended to this report. ____________________________________________________________________________ (C) HISTORY: No history relevant to this particular site. ____________________________________________________________________________ (D) CONSULTATIONS: Public Protection Unit Memo dated 02/03/11 advising no objection to the proposed development. National Air Traffic Systems Letter dated 15/12/10 advising no safeguarding objection to the proposed development. Access Officer No response at time of report and no request for extension of time. Conservation Officer Memo dated 14/02/11 advising “Argyll and Bute Council has a statutory duty to protect and enhance conservation areas and historic buildings and structures. Whilst I support the positive contribution renewable energies can make to the historic environment I believe that in this instance the installation of a wind turbine would dominate and detract from the surrounding historic environment rather than enhance it. The potential for other forms of renewable energy (ground or water source heat pumps), and the potential for the fabric of the associated building to optimise its energy efficiency both exist as alternative solutions. For these reasons I recommend this application for refusal. Seil and Easdale Community Council E-mail dated 20/02/11 objecting to the proposed development stating that “the proposal is contrary to policies contained within the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Plan and will dominate nearby buildings and the landscape and will not ‘preserve or enhance the character or appearance of an existing Conservation Area’. If approved the proposal would result in a development which would be a conspicuous nuisance to both residents and visitors resulting in noise, strobe effect and be an eyesore to both residents and visitors. Historic Scotland Letter dated 22/12/10 advising that there are unlikely to be any significant detrimental impacts on the settings of any assets within their remit. Scottish Natural Heritage E-mail dated 06/01/11 advising no objection to the proposed development. Royal Society for Protection of Birds Letter dated 21/12/10 advising due to the scale and site of the proposal, no concerns upon its potential impacts upon birds interests within this area. Scottish Ambulance Service No response at time of report and no request for extension of time. West of Scotland Archaeology Service E-mail dated 12/01/11 advising that the proposal raises no substantive archaeological issue. The above represents a summary of the consultation responses received. Full details of the letters of representation are available on the Council’s Public Access System by clicking on the following link http://www.argyll- bute.gov.uk/content/planning/publicaccess . ____________________________________________________________________________ (E) PUBLICITY: The proposal has been advertised in terms of Conservation Area and Regulation 20 procedures, closing date 06/01/11. ____________________________________________________________________________ (F) REPRESENTATIONS: Representations have been received from 67 individuals as follows: 63 objections, 4 support OBJECTIONS Hamish Munton, The Old Inn, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban Mr Ian Brown, 8 Seaview Terrace, Easdale, Oban, PA34 4RG M M MacLellan, 8 Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban, PA34 4RQ Mr P A And Mrs M E Bridges, 1 Westfield Court, Mirfield, West Yorks, WF14 9PT Alistair W Knox, 10 Kilmartin Court, Shore Street, Oban, PA34 4NT (2 representations) H Simcox 60 Ellenabeich Easdale Oban PA34 4RQ (2 reps) S Cooper, Creel Cottage, 64 Ellenabeich, PA34 4RF E Munten, Creel Cottage, 64 Ellenabeich, PA34 4RF John Wilson, Aite-Fois, Clachan Seil, Isle Of Seil, Oban Mrs A S Wilson, Aite-Fois, Clachan Seil, Isle Of Seil, Oban Derek Lyall, 12 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Mary Withall, 13 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB P.W.F. Withall, 13/A Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Eugenie Thomasson, An Lionadh, Easdale Island, PA34 4TB Simon Thomasson, An Lionadh, Easdale Island, PA34 4TB Jill Hunter No 4 Easdale island main address - Ledi Lodge, Main Street, Kippen, FK8 3DN L Munton, The Old Inn, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban Adele Knox, 22 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (2 representations) Ms Linda Brown, 8 Seaview Terrace, Easdale, PA34 4RG Elizabeth Reid, Harbour Cottage, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban Annabel Robertson, 42 Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, PA34 4RQ George Doyle, 41 Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban, PA34 4RQ Mr And Mrs Leslie Wolfson Per Leslie Wolfson And Co Solicitors Waterloo Chambers 19 Waterloo Street Glasgow G2 6BQ Julian Penney, Stones Throw Cottage, Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Meurig Jones, 10 Kerrisk Drive, Dunfermline, Fife, KY11 8RG & 29 Easdale Island, PA34 4TB (9 representations) Mrs S Fairbairn, 9A Easdale Island, By Oban, PA34 4TB Mrs R A Sampson, 13B Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (2 representations) Mrs G Johnston, 4 Seaview Terrace, Easdale, PA34 4RG Mr J S Johnston, 4 Seaview Terrace, Easdale, PA34 4RG Mr Kevin Johnston, 4 Seaview Terrace, Easdale, PA34 4RG Ruth Morris, 61 Ellenabeich, Easdale, PA34 4RQ Mr Stuart Reid, Torbeag, Clachan Seil, Isle Of Seil M Lyall, 12 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB C L Davies, 2 Pipers Road, Cairnbaan,Lochgilphead, PA31 8UF Jenny Smith, 33A Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (3 representations) Tim Flinn, 39 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TX Henry Tarbatt, 33a Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (3 representations) Keith Oversby, 55 Easdale Island, PA34 4TB (2 representations) S Downie, An Cala, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban A Clayton, 46 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Stuart A Clayton, 46 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Peter Jones, 10 Kerrisk Drive, Dunfermline, Fife, KY11 8RG Heather Chaplin, 3 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (2 representations) Mrs Margaret Jones, 10 Kerrisk Drive, Dunfermline, Fife, KY11 8RG Sandra Hodson, 62 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Elizabeth Rhodes, 49 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (3 representations) Mr T R Tinney, 13B Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Brian T Dickey, Sealladh Na Mara, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban E A Dickey, Sealladh Na Mara, Ellenabeich, Isle Of Seil, Oban Ronald Hives, 101 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Tina Jordan, 55 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB Ronald B And Wendy E Blakey, 38 Easdale Island, By Oban PA34 4TB Mrs Gwen Mister 5 Alington Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1NS Heather Hyland 1 Cossacks Cottages Cortachy Angus DD8 4NA P W F Withall 13/A Easdale Island By Oban Argyll PA34 4TB Julian Penney Stone's Throw Cottage Easdale Island Oban PA34 4TB Jennifer Davie, 35 Main Street, Hillend, Dunfermline Easdale Island Residents And Property Owner's Association, C/o Keith Oversby, 55 Easdale Island, PA34 4TB Miss Susan Jones, 11f Auckland Crescent, JHQ- Monchengladbach, 41179, Germany Mike Armstrong, 62 Easdale Island, Oban, PA34 4TB (i) Summary of objections raised • The proposal is contrary to Policies LP ENV 1, LP ENV 2, LP ENV 6, LP ENV 9, LP ENV 13(a), LP ENV 14, LP CST 1, LP CST 4, LP REN 2, LP TRAN 1, LP BAD 1, STRAT SI 1,STRAT DC 7, STRAT DC 8, STRAT DC 9, STRAT RE 1. • The proposed wind turbine would be out of scale and out of character with both the natural environment and the historic built environment of the Easdale Island Conservation Area. • The amenity of residents of the island would be adversely affected by shadow flicker from the proposed wind turbine. • The amenity of residents of the island would be adversely affected by noise from the proposed wind turbine. • The proposed wind turbine would which provides access to the shore, disused slate quarries, a popular vantage point and sea angling at Carraig Ruadh. • The site is used by spectators at the annual stone skimming contest and if the turbine is constructed this area would be lost as a spectating area. • Historic Scotland is considering listing the quarries as Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the erection of the wind turbine would prejudice this decision. • Public and private access rights would suffer during the construction of the turbine and the digging of the trench for the cable along the village square. • The trench for the cabling for the wind turbine has the potential to put septic tanks and other services at risk. • The turbine is not sited anywhere near the building it is intended to serve. • No evidence of monitored wind data has been submitted in support