Latest news with #SeanPanton
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Plans for Perthshire solar farm the size of 140 football pitches refused
Perth and Kinross Council felt the "excessive" scale had not been fully justified for such a "significant" loss of prime agricultural land A planning application for a massive 49.9 MW Perthshire solar farm - the size of around 140 football pitches - has been unanimously refused by Perth and Kinross councillors. Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) Planning and Placemaking Committee met to consider the application - submitted by Solar 2 Ltd - on Wednesday, June 11. Elected members upheld the reasons recommended for refusal by council planners that it would result in a "significant" loss of prime agricultural land and its "excessive" scale had not been fully justified. Atmos Consulting submitted plans to PKC, on behalf of Solar 2, to develop Collace Solar Farm on around 100 hectares of land 500m north west of East Saucher House, Kinrossie. Presenting officers' report of handling on the application to councillors, PKC's Major Applications and Enforcement team leader Sean Panton said: "Unfortunately we are recommending refusal of the application before you. "Whilst National Planning Framework 4 and the Perth and Kinross Local Development Plan 2 offers support for renewable energy proposals, on this occasion the loss of prime agricultural land at this scale is not considered to have been suitably justified." He added: "The site is located approximately one kilometre north of the Sidlaw Hills Special Landscape Area and is also in close proximity to a number of historical assets including a number of listed buildings and the Kinrossie Conservation Area. "There are 82,000 solar panels proposed." Mr Panton said Solar 2 was questioned as to why "so many solar panels were required when this amount of panels would exceed a 49.9MW output". He told councillors: "The response was that it was commonplace to overplant solar farms. Consequently, we're of the view that 82,000 panels is an overprovision and this number of panels could be reduced obtaining the same output but with less prime agricultural land intake." The solar panels would reach a maximum height of just over three metres above ground level, as they tilt. They would be supported by an aluminium frame mounted vertically into the ground to a depth of around two metres with the edge of the solar arrays varying in height above the ground but with a minimum clearance of about one metre. The panels would rotate vertically towards the sun from about 60 degrees below the horizontal when the sun is at its lowest to horizontal when the sun is at its highest. As well as the solar panels, the proposal included plans for inverters, a substation, a substation compound, two containers, fencing, CCTV and access tracks. There were 89 letters of objection and four letters of support for the proposal. Objector Ian Thoms was born and raised in the area and has spent the past 11 years back there with his wife. He said the proposal was "poorly sited" and there were "better alternatives near where the energy is actually required". Mr Thoms cited a petition - with over 300 signatures - launched by Collace Solar Objection Group. The group is calling for Perth and Kinross Council to "protect rural Perthshire" and "pause all solar development approvals until a robust, location-sensitive, and proportionate planning framework is in place—one that prioritises rooftop and brownfield solar, protects agricultural land, and mandates solar recycling measures". He told councillors: "Walking along the core paths near our home, I often meet neighbours and strangers out enjoying the landscape. People come here for the peace, the view of the hills and the living countryside. "This would all be fundamentally altered by an industrial-scale solar installation with at least 40 years of high fencing, CCTV and metal infrastructure blighting the countryside. "The development would directly dominate the outlook from our homes, core paths and adjacent roads turning a living, working landscape into an industrial one." He added: "This project is one of 11 similar proposals in the Strathmore area alone. We need a more coherent, balanced approach." Fellow objector Jonathan Simpson said: "Scotland has over 9000 hectares of vacant and derelict land, yet this developer proposes to industrialise actively farmed prime land. "Before turning to ground-mounted panels, we should prioritise solar on rooftops, brownfield sites and existing industrial infrastructure followed by poor quality soils." Solar 2 project manager John Moisey argued it was a "temporary condition" and the land could continue to be used for "grazing beneath the panels". The report of handling stated it was anticipated the solar farm would operate for up to 40 years then all infrastructure would be removed and the site reinstated to its former condition. Mr Moisey said the 40-year set-aside could potentially "enhance" the soil by allowing it to "rest and regenerate" through a reduction in ploughing and ground disturbance. He told councillors the energy generated would meet the energy demand of "over 11,000 homes" and be fed directly back into the local grid via a distribution connection at Coupar Angus. Independent councillor Dave Cuthbert moved for refusal. It was seconded by Conservative councillor Keith Allan. The proposal was unanimously refused.
Daily Record
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Perth and Kinross Council will consider cumulative impact of multiple battery energy storage systems
The local authority has received a number of planning applications for electricity generating stations The Scottish Government has said councils should consider the cumulative impact of having several battery energy storage systems (BESS) in one area. There has been a recent explosion in the number of 49.9MW BESS applications being submitted to Perth and Kinross Council; anything 50MW or larger requires Scottish Ministers' approval. But that has led to places - such as Coupar Angus and Abernethy - having multiple planning applications for 49.9 MW battery energy storage systems next to one another. Last week Perth and Kinross Council's Planning and Placemaking Committee unanimously approved a 49.9MW BESS - on prime agricultural land at Abernethy because it was essential infrastructure. Planning permission for two other 49.9MW plants in the same area were granted just last year - and there are more in the pipeline. Applications for electricity generating stations with a capacity greater than 50MW are determined by Scottish Ministers and processed by the Energy Consents Unit (ECU). But is there a danger of large areas of land becoming awash with a mass of BESS developments - of 49.9MW - with applications submitted on a piecemeal basis to a local planning authority, such as Perth and Kinross Council? The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked both the Scottish Government and Perth and Kinross Council what measures - if any - are in place to stop this potential planning loophole being exploited. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Whether determined by Scottish Ministers or planning authorities where new development proposals come forward the impacts of proposals on communities, nature and other receptors, including prime agricultural land, as well as cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. All applications are subject to site specific assessments." Meanwhile PKC's Major Applications and Enforcement team leader Sean Panton said council planners would consider the cumulative impact of any such developments. He said: "Applicants can submit as many applications as they want in a particular area and we cannot stop them from doing this. They are also entitled to submit a number of applications near each other for 49.9MW as each application would be considered on its own merits. "However, if this was to happen, even although the combined output of all the different facilities would be over 50MW, as each application is under 50MW, it would be the council who would determine the applications rather than the ECU (unless called in). The council would consider cumulative impacts should we be in a situation where multiple applications have been submitted in the same area. "There is no specified limit, but we can consider the cumulative impact to be excessive and recommend refusal should we be concerned at the over-provision in a certain area." Pushed for an exact figure on what would be deemed too much, Mr Panton could not specify but added: "I can however say we would start to restrict them when the cumulative impact becomes 'excessive or unreasonable'." Scotland is in the midst of a housing emergency. A shortage of available land is often blamed, so some might question why land can be found for so many BESS applications. Mr Panton said: " In the Perth and Kinross Local Development Plan 2 (2019), there are allocated sites for housing. Housing is encouraged to be submitted on these areas rather than other areas of prime agricultural land. Equally, we would not encourage BESS developments on areas of land that are identified for housing."
The Courier
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Bridge of Earn Hospital heroes set for street name honour as 43 new houses approved
The stars of the old Bridge of Earn Hospital could be honoured in the housing development taking shape in its place. A councillor is asking locals to suggest former hospital staff for street names on the new Oudenarde estate. It comes after councillors unanimously approved the latest phase of the GS Brown project. The agreement means another 43 houses can now be built on the old Bridge of Earn Hospital site. Councillor David Illingworth says he has already received a number of suggestions. And he says it's been 'incredibly moving' to hear people's stories. 'People have so many fond memories of the old hospital,' he said. 'We don't just want to recognise doctors and surgeons. 'We want to hear about the nurses, matrons, catering assistants, everyone who played a big part in the life of the hospital.' Bridge of Earn Hospital opened as a 'temporary' hospital for wartime casualties in 1940. It closed in 1992 and the buildings were demolished in 2006. Potential street names shouldn't already exist in Perth and Kinross, eg Kirk (Wynd); Clark (Terrace) or Campbell (Avenue). And streets cannot be named after living people. The Oudenarde estate plans were first aired more than 20 years ago. GS Brown was given planning permission in principle for up to 1,600 homes in September 2016. The project was delayed by nearly three years after Scottish Ministers intervened over road safety concerns. The plans also include commercial and industrial development and a primary school. Perth and Kinross Council's planning committee approved the latest phase after they were given assurances about drainage arrangements at the site. Planning officer Sean Panton said the council's flood team was satisfied the development would reduce the risks. Councillors also agreed to a condition that a bridge is constructed over the rail line, linking it with the proposed site of a new primary school. Following the decision, a spokesperson for GS Brown said: 'We are delighted that planning approval has been granted for the second phase of our development at Oudenarde. 'Following the successful launch of our first phase, which consists exclusively of bungalows and is already proving popular with buyers, this new approval allows us to expand our offering with an exciting range of two-storey homes.'
The Courier
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
48 new homes for Auchterarder – but A9 slip road rule means most can't be built
An Auchterarder housebuilder has won approval for another 48 new homes – but there's a catch. Muir Homes won't be allowed to construct the bulk of the properties until a controversial junction is built off the A9 at Shinafoot. Councillors unanimously approved two Muir Homes' planning applications for the Castlemains estate at Auchterarder. But they were told a long-standing legal agreement for the site is still in place. It requires developers to provide a new A9 junction and sports facilities for the fast-expanding town before any more houses can be built there. Muir Homes and Stewart Milne Homes previously won a Scottish Government appeal, permitting a single off-ramp and slip road at Shinafoot. That decision angered local campaigners, who say it should be an on-off ramp. And there's been no progress on the road, to the north-east of the town, since Stewart Milne's collapse. Muir Homes submitted plans to finish the Castlemains site late last year. It was left incomplete when Stewart Milne went bust. One application was for 38 two to five-bedroomed houses and four two-bedroomed flats on land 40 metres north of 51 Castle Drive. The second was for six four-bedroomed detached homes on land 90 metres north-west of Castlemains Farm Steading. It's not covered by the Shinafoot agreement. There were 25 letters of representation to the first application and 19 to the second. Concerns included road safety, noise, loss of view, and privacy. Objectors also noted that the previous obligations for the new A9 junction and playing fields have not been met. Perth and Kinross Council officer Sean Panton told the planning committee the block on housebuilding still stands. But he suggested the developer would likely be able to build 12 affordable units as part of the first application. 'There is an existing Section 75 legal agreement on this site which places a cap on the number of homes which can be built here until the Shinafoot junction and required sports facilities have been provided,' he said. 'Muir are aware of this requirement and will not be able to fully implement this application until such time that the legal requirements have been met.' A Shinafoot slip road would open the door for hundreds more homes in that area. Smaller housebuilders are still able to develop land for housing elsewhere in Auchterarder. Muir Homes' managing director Robert Herd welcomed the decision. 'Our commitment to Auchterarder extends beyond housing,' he said. 'We are investing tens of thousands of pounds in vital local projects like the community bus, as well as safeguarding the land to the northwest of Auchterarder for sports and recreational use in the future.' Mr Herd added: 'Muir Homes is keen to deliver these new private and affordable homes as quickly as possible to help address the current housing emergency, bringing new families to Auchterarder as well as providing new housing options for those who already live in the area.'
The Courier
22-04-2025
- Business
- The Courier
'Shadow flicker' complaint sparks shutdowns of Aviva's wind turbine in Perth
Aviva has been invoking shutdowns of its wind turbine in Perth after a neighbour's complaint was backed by the council. The 77-metre tall turbine, next to the insurance company's office at Pitheavlis, was officially opened in November last year. Aviva says the turbine, along with existing solar panels at the site, should generate 100% of its electricity demands. But it has already suffered a setback after Perth and Kinross Council found it had breached a planning condition. The council says it received a 'justified' complaint from a resident over the structure's 'shadow flicker'. This is a visual phenomenon where rotating wind turbine blades cast moving shadows on sunny days, causing annoyance to neighbours. The length and position of the shadow and frequency of the flicker depend on factors such as wind speed and direction, cloud cover, illumination from the sun and its position in the sky. Aviva's 18-page shadow flicker management plan – published by 350 Renewables – says such conditions can exist in Perth between late September and mid-March. 'During these times,' it says, 'if the illuminance from the sun is sufficient to cast shadows, the turbine should stop. 'Otherwise, the turbine can keep operating.' The council received evidence on February 6 that Aviva had breached a condition of its planning consent relating to shadow flicker. It opened an enforcement action that ruled the complaint was 'justified'. Council planning officer Sean Panton wrote: 'A breach of planning control has occurred and the developer implemented additional shutdown protocols voluntarily and in line with the shadow flicker management plan. 'The breach of condition 18, in so far as we are aware, has been resolved entirely.' It is not known how often Aviva has to invoke shutdowns due to shadow flicker, or the extent these have affected energy production at Pitheavlis. Nor is it known how many neighbours have complained about the problem. The turbine was approved by Perth and Kinross Council in 2022. Residents admitted they were shocked by its size when it was being installed in October 2024. When First Minister John Swinney opened the structure the following month, it was revealed it had been named Aurora by pupils at Viewlands Primary School in Perth. In December last year, The Courier reported that Aviva had been told of Perth and Kinross Council's safety concerns over its plan to emblazon the structure with a large company logo.
