News Just In.....

The picture across the East Neuk Ridge is one of quick change as agents and applicants make adjustments to try and get through the planning system at Fife Council. The agent for the turbine application at North Baldutho Farm (part of the Balcaskie Estate) has now requested a reduction in height to be considered. The original application had the turbines at a height of 150ft, but the application was objected to by the Ministry Of Defence, as it would interfere with their radar system at Leuchars. The application now requests that a height of 94.25ft be considered, which presumably, won't interfere with the radar system. However, we note that a few eagle-eyed members of the community have spotted this already and reminded the Council that this constitutes a material change to the application. A whole new application, including all the supporting documents should therefore be required by the Council from the applicant. We will wait to see what happens next...

As an aside, the reduction in height request comes after a rather bizarre letter from the agent for the North Baldutho Farm application, which refutes the Scottish Natural Heritage objection and request for further information concerning these turbines. The agent's letter seems to be suggesting, amongst other things, that the Council should allow turbines despite the damage that they will do to the local and migratory bird life, because Fife Council also issues the licences for shooting the geese. You couldn't make it up...!
 If you want to read the letter itself, and any other correspondence regarding this application, go to www.fifedirect.org.uk/planning, type North Baldutho into the search box - see for yourself!