Extension could mean up to 24 turbines at wind farm near Lybster
As many as 24 turbines could be built at a wind farm being planned for a site in south-east Caithness – 11 more than currently proposed.
Renewable energy company RWE will host a public drop-in event in Lybster next week to outline a potential extension of its consented Golticlay Wind Farm, inland from the village.
Consent was granted by Scottish ministers in December for a variation to a previously approved planning application for 19 turbines. It involved reducing the number of turbines to 13.
However, a spokesperson for RWE said the German-based developer is consulting on “an additional wind farm, with up to 11 additional turbines – therefore up to 24 turbines in total between Golticlay and Golticlay Extension”.
The Golticlay turbines have been consented with a maximum blade-tip height of 180m. The variation approved in December included an increase in the operational period from 25 to 35 years.
One resident warned this week that the county is in danger of being turned into an “industrialised landscape” and a “wasteland”.
The drop-in event is scheduled for Lybster Bowling Club on Tuesday, March 18, from 2pm to 7pm. It is advertised in this week’s Caithness Courier.
RWE says a Golticlay Extension website will be available to view from that date.
“This is a site with excellent wind resource and available grid capacity,” the spokesperson said. “There was no objection from Highland Council or NatureScot on Golticlay, who are the statutory consultees on landscape and visual impact.
“We value feedback from the local community and would encourage anyone interested in hearing more about the development to attend the event where they can give feedback directly to the project team and/or through a consultation form that will be available on the day.”
Local resident Jo Bowd has voiced concerns in the past about the visual impact of the Golticlay turbines, which will be constructed directly across from her cottage at Roster.
Miss Bowd pointed out that 180m is more than three-quarters the height of the Rumster transmitter mast.
“This new one [Golticlay Extension] won’t have as much impact – it’s further away, the other side of the Achavanich road,” she said. “But it’s still going to be on the skyline.
“This is just exactly what they wanted in the first place. They’re almost taking it back to the original application.”
When asked whether she would attend the Lybster consultation event, Miss Bowd (71) said: “I don’t think there’s an awful lot of point, really, considering what we’ve already gone through with inquiries.
“They’ll not take any notice. It’s just a box-ticking exercise.
“It shouldn’t be up to the government because they’re not independent. They have got a vested interest in these blasted wind farms.
“They should never have started building wind farms until they had the infrastructure to get the power away. If they needed the power, they should have put the wind farms where the power is needed – not up here, and taking pylons all the way down.
“They’re trying to make Caithness an industrialised landscape, because that’s what it will end up as – a wasteland.”
She added: “I think they’ll just shove it through like everything else. It doesn’t matter if we don’t like it because we can’t do anything about it.”
Road-widening works are taking place on the C1053 Achavanich route, which links Lybster with the Causewaymire on the A9, in preparation for the wind farm, with rolling closures in place until the summer. A traffic order published by Highland Council informed the public that the restrictions would last until June.
The RWE spokesperson said: “The proposed extension project is at a very early stage in development and therefore will not have any impact on the planned road upgrades. Upgrade works are continuing on the C1053 road.
“We would like to thank local residents and other road users for their ongoing patience whilst these works continue. We will continue to keep the residents informed of progress.”
RWE previously gave assurances that “residents will always have access to their properties” and emergency access would be maintained.
Highland Council objected to the earlier Golticlay scheme in September 2017, saying it would have “a significantly detrimental visual impact on the Caithness landscape”. A public inquiry was held in October the following year.
The application was granted in March 2021, having been dealt with by Scottish ministers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 relating to onshore developments above 50 megawatts. It was originally planned by E.On before being taken forward by RWE.
