GLENLORA WIND TURBINE - Renfrewshire Council

1 Introduction
© Green Cat Renewables Ltd
GLENLORA WIND TURBINE
1.1 Background to the development
This project comprises a single turbine project on the Glenlora Estate, Corsefield
Road, Lochwinnoch. Glenlora Estate comprises of a combination of areas of semiimproved
grass pasture for grazing cattle and sheep, rough grazing land and mixed
woodland.
Mr Tom Coakley, director of the Glasgow based ‘Coakley Group’ property developers
is looking at the opportunity of constructing a single wind turbine on his private
estate. Every year the proposed turbine would generate sufficient electricity to
satisfy the requirements of the private estate and existing infrastructure. Mr
Coakley is keen to diversify to wind generation in order to provide an additional
income stream to help offset fluctuations in energy prices incurred in the running of
the estate as well as reduce the ‘carbon footprint’ of current operations.
The majority of developments that Mr Coakley is involved in both personally and
commercially have a ‘green footprint’. Recently Pro-Active Energy (one of Mr
Coakley’s operating companies) have been granted planning permission for the UK’s
largest biogas facility to be constructed on the new M74 Eco Park. From a personal
perspective and for the benefit of the local area an anaerobic digester plant
(09/0417/PP) and alterations to existing shed (with associated infrastructure and
landscaping works) as well as a small scale hydro plant are also proposed on the
Glenlora Estate.
A number of potential locations across the estate were investigated and this location
was identified as the most suitable as it meets all of the technical requirements and
has a relatively low environmental impact.
The proposed development is located on Glenlora Estate near Lochwinnoch, ~25km
west of Glasgow city centre, as shown in Figure 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 below. The proposal
is located within the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Belt and the Clyde Muirshiel
Regional Park which are subject to specific planning and development policies. The
turbine position and site boundary are shown in Figure 1.1.2.
Green Cat Renewables Ltd is a consultancy acting as an agent on behalf of Tom
Coakley, owner and occupier of Glenlora Estate and is responsible for the studies
compiled in the Environmental Statement (ES).
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