Strathallan Wind Farm

Perth & Kinross

The Strathallan Wind Farm is located in the hills which lie between Strathearn and Strathallan, within Perth & Kinross. Green Cat Renewables was engaged as planning and environmental consultants to develop the project from initial conception, through project design, consultation and full EIA. The project was refused at the Perth & Kinross Planning Committee in 2016, but GCR appealed the decision and permission was granted by the DPEA in 2019.

A previous application for four wind turbines with a 100m tip height on this site was refused in 2009. In order to overcome the refusal reasons the scheme was redesigned to have a lower tip height and a higher energy production than the previous proposal, while not increasing visibility.

In between the previous application and the redesigned submission, the local authority’s landscape capacity study had been updated, and the site was considered suitable for a certain scale of development. It was vitally important for the site design to follow the guidelines set within this. The final design took account of the following:

• Design a layout that will create a harmonious and sympathetic layout when viewed from key sensitive locations both on its own and considered alongside Braes of Doune. This was done by trying to create a linear development which reflected the shape and scale of the landscape and from important locations appeared to mimic the Braes of Doune design;
• Select a scale of wind turbine that will be in keeping with the surrounding landscape when viewed from key areas such as the National Scenic Area and Strathallan Valley;
• Minimise the visual impact from the Glen Eagles estate; and
• The design had to take account of the Beauly to Denny transmission lines and illustrate that together they didn’t clutter the landscape or cause landscape and visual cumulative effects.

A Community Benefit Fund was offered as part of the development. This consisted of an annual payment of £5k per installed MW, with the money to be distributed within the local area, including the communities of Braco, Muthill, Crieff and Comrie.

A planning application was submitted to Perth & Kinross Council who refused planning permission at the Planning and Development Committee in April 2017. An appeal was then issued to the Scottish Government in July 2017 which was allowed by the DPEA in January 2019. This decisin recognised the wind farms design fitting with the criteria of the landscape capacity study.