WIND farms would have a 'defining influence' on the landscape in north Northumberland according to a landscape expert at the public inquiry in Berwick.
Mark van Grieken, giving evidence for Catamount, applicants at Barmoor, told the inquiry during cross-examination that if the Barmoor wind farm was built along with any of the other two, it would have a "defining influence on the landscape" and wo
uld result in the landscape being read as a "landscape with wind farms."
He added: "There would be significant impact on the open rolling farmland if two or three wind farms were built."
Landscape expert for Moorsyde Action Group, Stephen Kirkpatrick, giving evidence on the cumulative impact of the proposed wind farms, said: "The Toft Hill and Moorsyde standalone schemes would result in effects of major significance.
"A development scenario of Moorsyde plus Toft Hill would result in cumulative visual effects of particular significance on account of the greater proportion of the horizon occupied by wind turbine development, the increased reduction in the tranquillity and rurality of the view and the increased attraction of one's eye away from views of the Cheviot Hills, which would be sandwiched between two wind farm development."
He went on to say that the proposed schemes at Toft Hill and Moorsyde would result in Duddo stones being perceived as being 'hemmed in' between two wind farms.
He added that the Toft Hill turbines would 'dominate the scale of the stones' and 'detract from the existing rural character of views.'
During cross-examination by Elizabeth Dunn, advocate for appellants Moorsyde Wind Farm Ltd, Mr Kirkpatrick confirmed however that the main effects on the stones would arise from Toft Hill, rather than Moorsyde.
He said Moorsyde would be a "barely discernable component on the views."
He then added: "I'm talking predominantly about Toft Hill, and I think the introduction of Toft Hill has the dominance to detract from the views from the stones."
In regard to views of the Cheviots, Mr Kirkpatrick said: "It is clear that the B6354 is by far the most important key view of the Cheviots and the impact on it is most dramatic in terms of Moorsyde, with up to seven minutes of travel time when the turbines would be seen prominently."
