Schoolchildren would enjoy “hands-on lessons” about rural life and renewable energy if a classroom on the site of a controversial Perthshire windfarm was approved, it was claimed yesterday.
Banks Renewables hope to promote teaching among the turbines at its proposed Bandirran windfarm, near Balbeggie.
As part of its plans for a six-turbine windfarm on the 5,000-acre Bandirran Estate, the Hamilton-based firm wants to create the learning centre in a steading building on the site.
The idea has been welcomed by Anna Dickinson, a project coordinator in Perth and Kinross with the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), a charity which aims to get children aged three to 18 into the countryside.
She said: “Our aim is to get children and young people out of schools and into the countryside to explore what is on their doorstep and find out more about rural life.
“Being able to get up close to a windfarm would be a good opportunity, particularly since the Curriculum for Excellence is all about giving pupils the facts and information they need to make their own informed decisions.”
She continued: “An on-site classroom would be an ideal muster point for school groups and a base for visiting neighbouring farms, forestry and estate land.
“It may also be used to provide visit-linked activities, especially if the weather was unfavourable.
“That is what would make this such a valuable resource it could be used in so many different ways and provide many opportunities for local schools.”
Banks Renewables submitted a planning application for the Bandirran project to Perth and Kinross Council in January.
The proposal includes a partnership which they claim would see the community collect 2.5% of windfarm revenues and give them the added option to purchase up to a 5% share in the operating windfarm.
Colin Anderson, development director at Banks Renewables, said: “Wherever we have sites we want to make sure that we provide tangible and long-term benefits to the surrounding communities.
”The beauty of the classroom on the Bandirran site is that its benefits would extend far beyond the local area and it could become a valuable resource for schoolchildren and their teachers from all over Scotland.”
Banks Renewables have also claimed the windfarm project would deliver an estimated £4 million to the local economy.
The company is part of the Banks Group which employs 420 people in the renewable energy, property and mining sectors.
However, Martin Payne, a member of Burrelton and District Community Council with specific responsibility for the Banks Renewables windfarm application, said he was “very surprised” to hear about this proposal.
“As far as I recall, no mention was made of providing this on-site facility at steering group or public meetings with the developer held over the last 16 months, when detailed discussion of all elements of their proposals were considered,” he said.
“It seems the thought has come very late in the day and after the closing date for comment on the proposals. With around 500 objections to the windfarm plan having been lodged, it sounds rather like another act of desperation by the developer.
“It may be that planning consent would have to be obtained to use farm buildings as a classroom and I am not aware of this being applied for.”
preoch@thecourier.co.uk