Public comments sought on wind energy guidance

Comments are being invited on Moray Council’s draft onshore wind energy policy guidance.

The council’s planning and regulatory services committee has agreed to a nine-week public consultation which will run until mid-November.

The draft guidance provides an update to the 2013 version in order to comply with Scottish planning policy and the requirements to identify a spatial framework within the Moray Local Development Plan, identify areas likely to be most appropriate for wind turbine developments and to identify where there is greatest potential for wind turbine developments.

The Moray wind energy landscape capacity study has also been updated and has been incorporated into the guidance as an appendix to the main guidance document, enabling it to form part of the statutory local development plan.

The landscape capacity study has refined the landscape sensitivities taking into consideration recent developments and has also investigated the potential of larger turbines being developed in Moray.

The guidance aims to set out:

• The council’s approach to considering and determining planning applications and for making observations on development proposals to the Scottish Government.
• Information requirements and issues to be addressed at pre-application and application stages.
• The council’s overall strategy for wind turbine development, including spatial framework and detailed policy guidance maps for three typologies of turbine development.
• Links to the extensive range of detailed guidance produced by the council and consultees, and contact details.

Any person can make representations on the content of the draft supplementary suidance and representations must be made by 5pm on November 14 to Development Plans, Development Services, Moray Council, PO Box 6760, Elgin, IV30 9BX or e-mailed to localdevelopmentplan@moray.gov.uk

A drop in session will also be held in New Elgin Hall on Monday, October 17.

The guidance can be viewed on the council’s website at http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_100442.html

Moray Council area stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Forres in the west. The council and its 4,500 employees respond to the needs of 95,510 residents in this beautiful part of Scotland, which nestles between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.

Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live.

Headquartered in  Elgin, the administrative capital of Moray.