Wind Farms

Revised policies for Renewable Energy (Wind Turbines) have been adopted. See also SEA.

The Council on 17th March 2011 resolved to adopt (with amendments) Planning Policies and Guidance on renewable energy (wind turbine) developments. Council specified that the policies adopted would be 'a material consideration for the determination of relevant planning proposals, pending inclusion in the new Local Development Plan 'Policies & Guidance as Adopted'.

The Council's existing planning policy for the siting of wind farms is contained in the Structure Plan, and dates from 2004. In order to assist with a review and possible up-dating of this policy, and related policies, further information and analysis was required regarding the visual impact of turbines and their effects upon landscape character and quality. Consultants were engaged in 2007 to provide such analysis.

The commissioned report "Stirling Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study for Wind Energy Development" is now available to the council (and to the co-funding partners, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority). Its recommendations do not have the status of Council policy.

However, the Council at its meeting on 13th March, 2008, endorsed the findings of the study and adopted the study report as a 'material consideration' for the purposes of determining planning applications. The Council also agreed to consultation on a package of Supplementary Planning Guidance including a revised principal locational policy, complementary revisions to Local Plan policies, and detailed Development Management guidance, all for adoption as interim policy and eventual inclusion in the new-style Local Development Plan.

The Study Report is a lengthy and copiously illustrated document, not readily made available in hard copy. Therefore the principal parts of the report - text, illustrations and maps - are displayed here for information.

 

Part 1  

Acknowledgements,

Executive Summary 1. Introduction

2. Methodology

Study Findings

3(i) Area-wide landscape capacity for wind energy development.

Part 2 

Study Findings  

3(ii) Landscape character types for wind energy development guidelines for siting & design of windfarms.

4 Planning Policy.

5.Conclusions.

Part 3  

Figures/Maps.

Part 4 

Appendices. 

Further information…