Renewed wind farm bid rejected due to turbine height
Getty Images- An application to build a wind farm on a hillside in Dumfries and Galloway has been rejected by a Scottish government reporter
- Plans were previously approved for a scheme at Mochrum Fell near Parton six years ago
- Planning approval had lapsed and a fresh bid was submitted
- The revised project has been refused due to concerns over the increased turbine height
A bid to revive wind farm plans on a south of Scotland hillside has been rejected due to the height of the turbines involved.
A scheme was approved at Mochrum Fell near Parton in 2016 but that permission has since lapsed.
Dumfries and Galloway Council failed to reach a decision on fresh plans and developers Falck Renewables appealed to the Scottish government.
A reporter has now ruled that the increased height of the turbines involved makes the project unacceptable.
The original scheme generated nearly 600 objections and was rejected by the local authority, but then approved on appeal.
However, due to the amount of time which had passed, a fresh application was made.
This time around the council failed to issue a decision prompting the company behind the scheme to seek a Scottish government ruling.
Rude HealthThe proposals were for seven turbines instead of the previously-approved eight but they had increased in height from 126.5m (415ft) to 149.9m (490ft).
A reporter concluded that this made the potential effect of the scheme different.
"In my view, this would make the turbines more prominent and more visible in some views," she said.
"The effect on the landscape character would be different and potentially greater and the effect on receptors would also be different and greater."
She added that the difference between the two proposals meant differing conclusions were "justified".