‘Failure to respond’ sees EE wind turbine application near Alness refused by council
AN EE application for a new wind turbine near Alness has been refused by the Highland Council after the applicant “failed to respond” to a request for information.
The application from WHP Telecoms on behalf of EE Ltd, proposed the erection of a 25m lattice tower, ancillary development and installation of a 9m tall wind turbine on Meall an Tuirc — around 11km from Alness, by Loch Glass.
The proposal is a part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN), a £1bn programme, which benefits from £530m from the four UK mobile network operators (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone) alongside £500m from the UK Government. The aim of SRN was to extend geographic 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by 2025.
On December 16 2024, the Highland Council officially refused the proposal due to the applicant’s “failure to respond” to a request made in November.
In the decision notice, the council said: “The applicant has failed to respond to the request of November 12 2024, for further information. Accordingly, the application cannot be determined as there is a lack of information pertaining to the visual impact of communications infrastructure which would have allowed Planning Authority to fully access the proposal and its impact, as required by policy.
“Therefore, the proposal does not take into account the impact on the natural environment.”
As a consultee for the application, John Edmondson the then secretary for Ardross Community Council shared his “disappointment” about the proposal’s lack of consultation in a letter to Planning and Development at the Highland Council, on January 21, 2024.
He said: “It is disappointing that the Applicant has done the bare minimum in terms of consultation. This site is very close to the boundary between Kiltearn and Ardross Community Council. Other applicants where a proposal is sited on or close to community council boundaries have chosen to pre-consult both community councils.
“This proposal will be visible to more properties in Ardross than Kiltearn even those same properties in Ardross are served by a nearby EE mast. This is the third mobile mast effectively consented in this area. There is an existing EE mast consented 17/03196/FUL which serves the majority of Ardross. If this existing mast is to be used as a relay for the current application the Planning Authority should examine whether the existing EE mast needs to be so large or indeed required in its current form to avoid the proliferation of mobile masts contrary to Policy.
“Without proper provision for power backup during power outages rural communities will be entirely isolated. This was filmed in Ardross Castle and the surrounding area. The Traitors and its US sister show are expected back for a second series. They have made a positive economic contribution to the local area and brought useful revenue streams to community buildings and local businesses. We would not like to see any insensitively sited infrastructure, such as this mast, deter the use of Ardross Castle and Ardross as film locations.”
