MSP's Evidence Against Griffin & Calliachar Proposals

I have decided to back the Griffin Forest scheme at the public inquiry, not because I want to see windfarms everywhere across Perthshire, but because I believe that if you support onshore windfarms in principle, then you have a responsibility to say where they should go. I accept that multiple windfarms across Highland Perthshire could be detrimental to tourism, which is why we should focus on one large scheme in one of the least sensitive sites. We have a responsibility to future generations to tackle climate change and meet renewable energy targets, we won't achieve that goal exclusively through small scale projects, so we are going to need a limited number of larger scale developments like Griffin to make any progress.

"There are limits to the capacity of a landscape to absorb large scale windfarm developments without causing a major visual impact. I hope that by the end of this year decisions on all the pending large scale windfarm applications in Perthshire can be reached and that the door can then be effectively closed to new schemes, with the exception of smaller community initiatives. Although Drumderg and Greenknowes have both recently secured approval in Perthshire, there is still scope for a single windfarm that is sensitively located in Highland Perthshire, away from these other two locations. My preference is to see the Griffin Forest scheme developed as an example of a good application, in a good location."

Mr Ruskell also dismissed Tory MSP Murdo Fraser's attack on all windfarm applications regardless of their individual merits. He added: "The Tories at Westminster are calling for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but here they are opposing every windfarm application in the country. It's about time Mr Fraser told us where he thinks a good location for a windfarm in Perthshire would be."

At the public inquiry Mid-Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Murdo Fraser also gave the following evidence:

“The planning applications to Scottish Ministers by I&H Brown and GreenPower for planning permission to build wind farms on Calliachar and Griffin Forest, respectively, were both objected to by Perth & Kinross Council as the local, democratically-elected planning authority as statutory consultees. I support the stance taken by Perth & Kinross Council, and believe that Scottish Ministers should reject these applications. I hope to set out the main reasons why this is the case, which apply equally to both applications.

“I would like to focus on two key issues. Firstly, the effect these wind farms would have on the local tourism industry and subsequently the local economy, and secondly, the impact that constructing these projects would have on traffic in the local area.

Local Tourism

“The proposed development of the Griffin forest wind farm consists of 68 turbines, almost all with a maximum height from base to blade tip of 124 metres. This is to be built to the east of the A826 between Aberfeldy and Trochry, covering a total area around the size of Perth. The Calliachar development would consist of 27 turbines with a maximum height of 100 metres, and would be built to the west of the A826 between Aberfeldy, Kenmore and Amulree, covering around 624 hectares.

“The tourism industry throughout Perthshire accounts for about 15% of all employment in the area. When tourism comprises such a large proportion of employment, it can be deemed as not only very important, but essential. In comparison, only 8.8% of Scotland’s workforce is employed in tourism. Very crudely, this shows that the tourism industry in Perthshire is around double the size of the Scottish average. It reiterates how important tourism is to the area. In economic terms, the hospitality sector is vitally important to the Perthshire area, as it generates over £30 million for the local economy and employs over 4,000 people across a variety of businesses.

“It is perfectly understandable why Perthshire has such a large tourism industry. VisitScotland, our very own public sector national tourism agency, estimate that 79% of all UK visitors that come to Perthshire for a holiday plan to come back again in the future. This is not a surprising statistic when you consider the unspoilt views of lochs and glens that are right here on our doorstep, scenery that people come half way round the world to view. This is not all that Perthshire has to offer, either. It has Dunkeld Cathedral, steeped in history. The Hermitage, with some of Britain’s tallest trees, is within 10 miles of here. Incidentally, these are only around half the size of the turbines to be placed in Griffin forest. Scotland’s oldest distillery, the Glenturret distillery, is in Crieff. These sites are all close to here and the proposed wind farm site. People come to this area for an experience that most of Scotland and indeed most of the world cannot offer. Perthshire as a whole remains one of the most desirable tourist destinations in Scotland.

“However, this would not remain so, and the proportion of UK visitors who come to Perthshire that would like to come again would be much less than 79%, if a metal and concrete forest of wind turbines were to be built on this area’s beautiful unspoilt scenery. Whilst the contractors are to be commended from reducing the proposed total number of turbines from 128 in their original applications – 82 on Griffin Forest and 46 on Calliachar-, to a total of 95 in their amended applications – 68 on Griffin Forest and 27 on Calliachar-, this is still 95 too many on our rural landscape.

“There are numerous studies that have been carried out on the impact that wind farms have on tourism. One of the most comprehensive of these studies was commissioned by VisitScotland, and conducted independently by NFO System Three. Its final report was published in August 2002 and was entitled ‘Investigation into the potential impact of wind farms on tourism in Scotland’.

“This investigation was based on conducting an interview with 180 respondents, conducted in 6 different towns in Scotland based, at that time, on their proximity to existing and planned wind farm developments. Part of the investigation was the so called ‘attitude statements’ whereby the interviewer would lay down an attitude statement and the interviewee would indicate how important the opportunity described was to a visit in Scotland.

“One of these attitudes was: ‘Chance to experience unspoilt nature’. In total, 61% of respondents described the chance to experience unspoilt natures as very important, whilst a further 34% described it as quite important.

“For the sake of argument, we can assume that the final 5% think that this is not important. If only 5% of visitors who come to Scotland think that the chance to see unspoilt nature is not important, will this not greatly reduce the volume of tourists around the areas that are to be covered in wind turbines?

“Another attitude was: ‘Peace and quiet’. To this attitude statement, 60% described it as a very important factor on a visit to Scotland, whilst a further 28% described it as quite an important factor. Surely the noise generated by the vehicles and machinery used in constructing these wind farms would keep this 88% away from the area for the duration of construction, which for the Griffin forest wind farm would be at least 18 months.

“Another attitude more specifically on the subject of wind farms was: ‘Wind farms spoil the look of the Scottish countryside’. 58% of respondents agreed to this. Finally, another statement read: ‘I would tend to avoid an area of the countryside if I knew there was a wind farm there’. 28% of respondents agreed to this statement. So, if 28% of visitors who might otherwise have come to this area decide not to come on the reasoning that there is a wind farm in the area, would this not have a catastrophic effect on the local tourist economy?

“The study I have just referred to is one of the few ‘independent’ studies on wind farms and its findings and can be taken with some authority. Nevertheless, the vast majority of studies I have come across, even undertaken within the pro-wind lobby, still arrive at the conclusion that wind farms could harm tourism in areas of natural beauty.

“But let me point out some examples of spoilt views specific to this case. Firstly, the Griffin Forest proposal will be around 22 kilometres from Schiehallion. Whilst viewing Schiehallion from Birnam Hill, another popular tourist spot, the wind farm will clearly be in line of sight. Considering the Heritage Lottery Fund gave £500,000 to clear the old path on Schiehallion for aesthetic effect, will that not be money wasted if another visible scar, namely a wind farm, is there to take its place?

“Emerging from the Sma’ glen, which even inspired Sir Walter Scott to pen words commenting on its stillness, and how it was ‘remote from men’, visitors would observe views of both the Griffin Forest and Calliachar wind farms. Continuing on this road, the Perthshire National Tourist Route, tourists would have views of the Griffin Forest wind farm for the next 12 kilometres, whilst visitors coming along the only road through Glen Quaich alongside Long Freuchie would have the Calliachar wind farm as a backdrop to this beautiful expanse of water.

“Indeed, when I & H Brown developers placed their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on public display, Perth and Kinross council had received 783 letters of comment up to October 2005, of which 1 was in support. GreenPower’s EIS yielded 1060 letters of comment over this period, of which only 13 were in support.

“This points to only one conclusion. The VisitScotland survey has shown that the appearance of wind farms are regarded as an eye sore which have a negative effect on tourists. Coupled with the fact that these wind farms are proposed to be built on some of the most outstanding scenery in Scotland, they can only have a detrimental effect on the local tourist trade that this area so heavily depends on.

Local Traffic

“The second point I would like to consider is the impact that the construction of these wind farms would have on the local road network. For the duration of construction, heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, containing materials would be required to travel north along the A9 from Perth, then turn left onto the A822 at Dunkeld.

“Whilst I commend the developers for promising to improve the A822 to make it a more suitable road for HGVs by means of increased passing places and more general road improvements, there remain other important issues that need to be addressed.

“The A9 is the main arterial road through Highland Perthshire and indeed throughout the Highlands. Between the years of 2000 and 2004 inclusive, 1053 people were injured as the result of accidents on this road, and 82 were killed. These are chilling statistics, and are ones which give the A9 its title as Scotland’s deadliest road, with the highest number of fatalities of any road in Scotland for this period. Inverness is regarded as the fastest growing city in Europe, and with that comes the fact that more and more vehicles will be travelling to Inverness via the A9.

Journey Numbers

“The Griffin Wind Farm Construction Traffic Review shows that for this development, GreenPower would need to make a total of around 54,500 journeys to and from the site during the 18 months of construction, including at least 476 abnormal loads of which some would be at least 47 metres long. These journeys would almost entirely include travelling on the A9 between Perth and the A822 junction at Dunkeld. It says that on the busiest day, 59 HGVs would be required to enter and then leave the construction site. The Traffic Impact Considerations document by SIAS transport planners for the Calliachar wind farm explains that I&H Brown would require, on average, 115 vehicles to enter or leave the site each working weekday for the 7 month development. This would include around 47 HGVs arriving and then leaving the construction site each day. Based on a 5 day working week, this would result in a total of 24,150 vehicles entering and leaving the construction site, including 81 abnormal loads of at least 41 metres. Is this further congestion really viable? Given that the A9 between Perth and Dunkeld is not dual carriageway for its entirety, this would result in severe tailbacks. Aside from any issues regarding keeping this main trunk road moving at a reasonable speed, it would only increase frustration of the other road users stuck in these tailbacks. Anyone who has driven on the A9 can relate to this. Consequently, this added frustration will lead to more risky overtaking manoeuvres attempted on the single carriageway sections, and inevitably, an even higher accident rate. This must not be allowed to happen. We cannot risk increasing the massive fatality rate on the A9 even further.

“Secondly, these works vehicles will be required, on their way back to Perth and the south to make a right turn at the A822 junction across both lanes of the A9. Many of us will be fully aware how long it sometimes takes to make this turn. I have seen myself in a car waiting around 15 minutes to turn right from Dunkeld onto the north-bound lane, and this is not uncommon.

“At the junction, due to their slower acceleration, these HGVs will require a much longer time gap between vehicles travelling north on the A9 to safely negotiate the north bound lane. As there is no central reservation to wait in, this will only ever be attempted if there are no vehicles in the vicinity travelling south, to allow the vehicle into the south bound lane.

“Now, considering these requirements, it will result in these HGVs waiting at the junction far longer than a car, on average, which will subsequently produce lengthy tail backs along the A822. When you consider the sheer number of HGV journeys that will be required in total, this is not a trivial problem.

“Furthermore, when you consider that this part of the A822 is part of the Perthshire Tourist Route – an ideal route for tourists and marketed this way – these HGVs will provide tourists, and everyone else who travel along that road, an unnecessary disruption which must be avoided at all costs.

“In conclusion, I have set out why I believe that the proposed wind farms at Calliachar and Griffin Forest should not go ahead. I commend both developers for their consultations, time, money and effort in reducing the number of turbines they propose to build and making it more suitable for Perthshire. However, both developments will have a detrimental effect on the area, including potentially catastrophic effects on both the local tourism industry and road network. They must be rejected.”