Broadview

< Back to all project news 02 Sep 2008 - Hill of Fiddes Change of access route for Aberdeenshire wind farm

Proposals for a change of access route for the planned wind farm at Hill of Fiddes, near Cultercullen, have been granted approval by Aberdeenshire Council.

Formartine Area Committee today (September 2nd) voted to approve an application for using the northern route along the B9000 following further consultations by developer Broadview Energy with Grampian Police and the council’s transport and infrastructure which determined this was the most appropriate and safest option.

It was found that the original southerly route, using the minor road between Foveran and Cultercullen, would need to be closed to oncoming traffic to allow access for the 37 abnormal loads carrying the wind turbine components. The B9000 however is not only capable of taking these loads without disruption, but the exit from the A90 to this road is also wider and therefore much safer for all road users.

Jeffrey Corrigan, Managing Director of Broadview Energy, said: “We believe this route will result in minimal inconvenience to residents in the area with disruption expected to be for only short periods of 20 to 30 minutes over the course of approximately two weeks.

“We look forward to working with Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Police, transport bodies and homeowners in the area to develop a transportation management plan that will meet everyone’s needs as best as is possible.”

The three 102 metre turbine wind farm will provide enough clean energy to meet the average electricity needs of 3,700 homes and displace more than 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

The existing 25m turbine at the summit of the Hill of Fiddes, which has lain abandoned for years, will be torn down during the construction process and new turbines sited lower down the hill, minimising the visual impact on the surrounding landscape.

Construction of the wind farm is anticipated to start in 2009 and is expected to take four to six months.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Lisa Ross at Broadview Energy Limited (lross@broadviewenergy.com / 020 8487 9150)   

Notes to editors:

• Broadview Energy Limited develops wind projects in Great Britain that will generate clean, sustainable energy. The company focuses on small projects, typically between two and ten turbines, as they provide greater flexibility in site selection, simpler grid connections, and less visual and other impacts than larger projects.
• Broadview Energy identifies suitable sites, evaluates them and then takes them to the planning stage and then through to construction and operation.
• In addition to the Hill of Fiddes, the company currently has several projects under development in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and the East Midlands. For more information visit www.broadviewenergy.com or the project's website at www.hilloffiddes.co.uk

Issued on behalf of Broadview Energy by The BIG Partnership. For more information contact Laura Grant on 01224 578179 or 07813 880496.