Planning permission for a 10-turbine wind farm at Merkins Farm, Alexandria, has been rejected by West Dunbartonshire Council.

The local authority refused the proposal on the grounds that the development would have an "adverse visual and landscape impact" on the Loch Lomond and Trossachs national Park, as well as the Kilpatrick Hills Regional Scenic Area.

Lomond Energy had planned to construct a wind farm on the site which consisted of 10 turbines – up to a maximum height of 120m – with a capacity to produce 20MW of electricity.

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Douglas McAllister, Depute Convener of West Dunbartonshire Council's Planning Committee said: "We are always keen to attract new business and enterprises to West Dunbartonshire, and gave this proposal very careful consideration.

"In the end it was considered that the significant adverse impact of this development on the Kilpatrick Hills and the area surrounding Loch Lomond was just too high a price to pay for this development."

The Council added that the application received 116 representations from organisations and individuals, 99 of which objected to the development.

(JP/IT)