Special Planning Committee overturns wind turbine decision

At today’s  special meeting of The Highland Council's Planning, Environment and Development Committee members overturned a previous decision to grant planning permission for a 15 kw wind turbine erected on a 15 metre tower on a site at the Heights of Achterneed, Strathpeffer.

On 19 January 2010 the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Planning Applications Committee voted to approve the application by 5 votes to 4. The officer recommendation was to refuse.

An amendment signed by 8 Councillors meant the matter was referred back to the PED Committee for a final decision to be made.  During today’s meeting an amendment put forward by Councillor Isabelle Campbell and seconded by Councillor Audrey Sinclair to refuse permission on the grounds that the application was contary to the Council’s Structure Plan policy E2 and to the Ross and Cromarty East Local Plan Policy BP3 was successful by 19 votes to 6.