npower renewables has lodged an appeal following Aberdeenshire Council's decision to refuse a planning application for an 8 turbine wind farm on the Kildrummy Estate, 6km to the west of Lumsden.

Members of the Marr region met on 25th September 2007 and voted unanimously against the proposal on the grounds that the scheme would have an adverse impact on the landscape character of the area.

Project manager for Kildrummy, Mark Crawford said: "We were certainly very disappointed by the decision. We understand the desire of Aberdeenshire Council to protect the Area of Landscape Significance (ALS).

However, planning policy for Aberdeenshire makes provision for development in such an area. We believe we had fully demonstrated that the proposal would not impose unacceptable impacts on the ALS; this was a view endorsed by Scottish Natural Heritage following almost three years of work on our part to overcome their landscape concerns. Moreover, we had complied with the necessary terms of the North East Scotland Structure Plan in showing the unavailability of a viable alternative site. Having demonstrated these two cases, we believe we had satisfactorily met all the planning criteria for a positive determination."

npower renewables' appeal to the Scottish Ministers was lodged on 3rd March 2008 via the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit (SEIRU). A public inquiry is expected to take place in the summer or early autumn 2008, although an exact date has yet to be set by SEIRU.

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