New group attacks wind farm policies

Anew campaign group has been launched to force policy change on wind farm applications at council and Scottish Government level.

However, trade body Scottish Renewables says that Save Our Hills’ suggestion that rural communities do noot broadly back onshore wind farms is “simply incorrect”.

Dumfriesshire-based Save Our Hills says it will focus on efforts to increase local scrutiny in Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross, where projects such as Green Burn near Alyth and Dulater wind farm near Dunkeld have sparked objections.

Campaigners said that while they were supportive of green energy, many parts of the country were at “saturation point.” Their aim is to unite local action groups and work together.

UK Government data shows support for onshore wind farms is growing steadily and Scottish Renewables says it is wrong to suggest otherwise.

Save Our Hills spokesman Iain Milligan said the group feels it is “time for other sources to be investigated” and for government to “understand that a fairer balance has to be struck” between development, protecting people and the landscape.

He said: “People have had enough and will not put up with the further spread of enormous wind farms which wreck the landscape and local ecology, risk damaging property prices, jeopardise businesses, particularly tourism, and bring nothing of significant benefit to the community.

“We need to see the decision- makers take a tougher stance on these applications, and begin to ensure that when wind farms do receive planning permission, it is with the blessing of those affected by them.”

Survation research in 2018 on behalf of Scottish Renewables backs the body’s belief that there is higher support for onshore wind power among young people in rural Scotland.

CEO Claire Mack says renewables, largely onshore wind, provide the equivalent of 90% of Scotland’s electricity needs, employing 5,400 people and supporting a “thriving” business supply chain from the central belt to rural areas.

She said: “Any suggestion that people living in rural Scotland do not support the deployment of renewable energy technologies like onshore wind which tackle climate change at the lowest cost to consumers is simply incorrect.

“Rural Scotland has a central role to play in delivering the increases in generation capacity needed to meet our growing need for clean power and our statutory climate change targets, and can look forward to the significant economic and social benefits which will increasingly come from doing so.”

Mandatory consultations for new wind farms have been taking place digitally for the past nine months, in line with planning policy.

Save Our Hills is demanding that all wind farms in the planning stage extend consultation until Covid rules allow maximum local scrutiny.

DEFENCE: Claire Mack, CEO of Scottish Renewables.