COUNCILLORS have approved a plan which would allow heavy lorries down an unclassified road – despite residents fears about safety.
Soenaid Coutts and her 14-year-old daughter Jemma pictured outside their home which borders the proposed access route
The access route for a planned windfarm at Hill of Fiddes, near Cultercullen, was given the go-ahead by the Formartine Area Committee.
The route originally mentioned in the plan was one to the south of the site – going from the A90, along the B9000 to an unclassified road south of that.
The committee approved the northern route along the B9000 following further consultations by developer Broadview Energy with Grampian Police and the council's transport and infrastructure which determined this was the most appropriate and safest option.
It was found that the original southerly route, using the minor road between Foveran and Cultercullen, would need to be closed to oncoming traffic to allow access for the 37 abnormal loads carrying the wind turbine components.
The plan by Broadview Energy to build three wind turbines at the Hill of Fiddes had been approved at a separate committee meeting and the application was put before councillors again so that the proposed access route could be decided.
Some sections of the route are very narrow
Jeffrey Corrigan, managing director of Broadview Energy, addressed the committee, saying: "I would like to reiterate that both routes are acceptable to us, but after consultation with Grampian Police it became apparent that the north route is safer.
"We understand that the residents have concerns and we have promised to repair any damage incurred by the construction of the windfarm.
"We recognise that it is a disturbance to the residents, but it is only for a period of 4-6 months."
He added that measures could be taken to help ease residents' fears such as introducing speed limits and allowing only one convoy a day on the road.
After the meeting he said in a statement: "We believe this route will result in minimal inconvenience to residents in the area with disruption expected to be for only short periods of 20 to 30 minutes over the course of approximately two weeks.
"We look forward to working with Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Police, transport bodies and homeowners in the area to develop a transportation management plan that will meet everyone's needs as best as is as possible."
At the meeting it was said that the police had a preference for the northern route, but the council would accept either.
Soenaid Coutts, a resident who would be affected by the northern route, also addressed the committee, saying: "We feel that the road is not suitable, as residents we just feel that there has been a lot of conflicting information about the application. More information about both routes should be supplied before the decision is made."
Parts of the road would need work in order to widen it – though it was stressed that these measures would be temporary.
The local councillors for the area all said that they felt there would be problems with the northern route – but thought that they should go with the report's recommendations and approve it.
Mid-Formartine Councillor and chair of the committee John Loveday said: "My heart feels that it would be better to the south. I can understand that it would be a problem.
"We have to listen to experts. Providing the mitigation plan is in force I would agree with the recommendation."
Fellow Mid-Formartine Councillors Jim Gifford and Paul Johnston echoed this opinion.
Construction of the wind farm is anticipated to start in 2009 and is expected to take four to six months.
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