Dundee anti-turbine campaign action
Residents have formed an action group opposing plans to build two giant wind turbines in Dundee's port.
A wind turbine.
- Published in the Courier : 06.04.10
- Published online : 06.04.10 @ 05.14pm
Around 10 households are behind Residents Against Tay Turbines (RATTS), which will hold its first meeting on Thursday at 7.30pm in Craigiebank Church Hall, the same venue used for a public consultation on the turbines a week ago.
Michael Ward of Forth Energy first spoke to Broughty Ferry Community Council on March 2 about the company's plans for a biomass plant at Dundee Port, mentioning the two 127-metre (413ft) turbines briefly at the end of the meeting.
Since then, the energy company has faced stiff opposition from homeowners next to the proposed Stannergate site.
A planning application is due to be submitted to the council by Forth Energy this summer.
The plans would see the turbines — which are about the same size as the two at the Michelin factory — built just a few hundred yards apart.
One would be immediately in front of the roundabout at the foot of Strips of Craigie Road, the other behind the RGIT Survival unit, west of Caledon East Wharf.
"We have been doing a fair amount of homework on turbines and have found some pretty startling facts," said Lavender Street resident Bob Adam.
"Lots of places say they should be two kilometres from where people live and they (Forth Energy) want to stick them a few hundred yards away.
"Manufacturers of Vestas in America have health and safety so workers don't go within 1300ft of an operating turbine and they (Forth Energy) are wanting to site them 900ft from our doors."
He added, "The noise at night could be absolutely terrible, it could have severe psychological effects on people."
A Forth Ports representative was due to address the Ferry's community council at an open meeting in the library at 7pm on Tuesday.
Before the meeting, Mr Adam and other RATTS members will meet local councillors to put across their opposition.
He added there will be a website dedicated to opposing the turbines.
Community council chairman George Ferguson told The Courier, "Forth Ports asked if they could come back and do a talk on the turbines because of the response to them.
"Last month their talk was about the biomass incinerator."
Mr Ferguson claimed the lord provost has been invited to the meeting but he has been warned by his advisers to stay away.
