Are ministers ‘kowtowing’ to China over wind farm?

NICOLA Sturgeon was last night embroiled in a fresh row over her dealings with China after it emerged ministers intervened in a planning application backed by the Chinese government.

The Scottish Government was accused of ‘kowtowing’ to the Chinese administration after it ‘called in’ plans related to the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm.

The move came as the First Minister began a week-long trade visit on Monday, but was only revealed yesterday after she met the project’s financiers.

Officials denied her trip is related to the application and said it was not discussed at her meeting with the State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC).

However, opponents yesterday branded the move ‘outrageous’.

Scottish Liberal Democrat energy spokesman Liam McArthur said: ‘It’s important that the Scottish Government avoid giving the impression that they are kowtowing to Chinese special interests at the expense of people in East Lothian.’

SNP ministers rather than councillors will now decide the fate of the proposed wind farm substation at the former Cockenzie Power Station site in East Lothian. The Scottish Government has previously only taken such action nine times. Labour MSP for East Lothian Iain Gray said: ‘This looks like another public relations mess the First Minister has got herself into trying to engage with Chinese business.

‘The SNP Government should not be overstepping the boundaries of local democracy and centralising decisions ahead of democratically elected local councillors.’

Scottish Tory local government spokesman Alexander Stewart said: ‘This is an outrageous move from the Scottish Government and tramples over local democracy.

‘We’ve got used to this SNP Government ignoring the decisions of locally elected councillors, but to bypass them before they’ve even taken a vote on it is a new low.’

Red Rock Power, which is financed by SDIC, wants to build a 72-turbine wind farm off the Angus coast.

The site would be connected to the National Grid via the proposed substation.

The Scottish Government said: ‘There is absolutely no connection between the decision to call in the Inchcape Planning Application and the First Minister’s visit to China. The development is in an area covered by the national planning framework and raised issues that require to be considered by ministers.’