Plans to develop a single wind turbine in West Dunbartonshire have been thrown out by councillors over concerns about the impact on local residents.

Elected members were advised by officers to grant permission for the turbine with a 30m hub and 43m tip and substation on the land to the east of Broomhill Wood in Bonhill near Alexandria. 

Proposals were presented to the committee on Wednesday morning along with objections from MSP Dame Jackie Baillie which highlighted the concerns of residents regarding the applicant’s intentions and practices on site and lack of any attempt foster positive relations with locals. 

Concerns were also raised about the work already taken without planning permission, the proximity to nearby residential homes and whether the turbine would have an impact on the supply to the national grid.

During the meeting, Dumbarton councillor Chris Pollock said: “How will the turbine blades pass safely through the estate? Will it not require residents to move their vehicles for a period of time?

“I think residents were advised that they would have to move vehicles in order to get everything in. A wind turbine blade is a lot bigger than a bin lorry for instance.

“There are quite a lot of mature trees where the turbine would be situated. Would they be damaged or cut back?”

The planning applicant tried to assure members that this was not a wind turbine that was oversized and that it would fit in a standard road and that the trucks would still get through without damaging any trees. 

Councillor Pollock also raised concerns about the lifespan of the turbine and who would be responsible for decommissioning it at the end of the 25 year period. 

He said: “Who is going to decommission that [the wind turbine] should you move on or quit the site. Do you have an insurance company or a company that would take that away once it has stopped its lifespan.”

Councillor Pollock was advised that a condition would be in place that meant once the turbine has been decommissioned everything would be put back to its original condition.

During the meeting chairman Councillor O’Lawrence moved that committee refuse the proposals. He said: “The recommendation is to grant planning permission.

“I am not minded to take that recommendation and having heard from the planning applicant this morning I do believe that it is detrimental to the visual amenity and it is not justified in its greenbelt location.

“For that reason I am going to move refusal.”