Perth and Kinross Council has postponed a decision on a major wind turbine planned for the edge of the city.
The council’s local review body met yesterday morning to rule on Aviva’s plans to erect a £3m turbine on the eastern edge of its main car park.
The firm says the proposed structure, measuring 77 metres high to the tip of its blade, could fuel around 50% of its operations at Perth.
Councillors rejected a planning application in January on the grounds it would spoil residents’ living conditions, as well as causing noise and shadow flicker from the moving blade.
Avivia, which employs around 1,200 people at its Perth office, appealed the decision and put its case to the council yesterday. However, the three elected members on the appeals panel agreed to postpone making the call until they can obtain more information on steps to prevent disturbance to neighbours.
SNP councillor Tom Gray said the group wanted to know more about what mitigating factors would be put in place to stop noise pollution.
He said: “We’ve heard what measures will be taken for the shadow flicker, but we need a better understanding of what will be done about the noise impact.”
The turbine would be located around 350m from the nearest home – a new-build at the nearby Cherrybank development.
Aviva said the shadow of the rotating blades would only usually affect its category-A listed headquarters, but if it did impact on local properties, the firm could remotely stop the rotors from turning.
Bosses said the turbine would generate more than 800 kWh or electricity each year and that windfall grants of up to £5,000 would be available to members of the community if the plans were approved.
The firm said the total investment in the turbine would amount to around £3m, including government subsidies, and the scheme would take the company a long way towards meeting its target of being 100% powered by renewable energy.
It has said the visual impact was “not likely to be significant” from close or medium range, and that the turbine would not be visible from the Sidlaws or Ochil hills.
A new date for the next appeal hearing has not yet been confirmed.
