Social media backing sought for bid to build university wind farm

ST ANDREWS: Bid for turbines received go-ahead but issues with MoD remain

Campaigners are seeking nationwide social media backing for their bid to build a St Andrews University wind farm.

The university has said it still wants to erect six large wind turbines on land south-east of the town.

The scheme was given the go-ahead seven years ago but, despite high-level talks with the Ministry of Defence, bosses have been unable to negotiate a solution to prevent interference with radar at nearby Leuchars.

Amnesty International’s St Andrews arm has now launched a social media picture campaign as it pushes for construction of the wind farm.

The group says the project could lead the way for institutions across Europe to do likewise and has urged supporters of the Kenly wind farm, near Boarhills, to post pictures of themselves with paper windmills and the hashtags #windofchange and #kenly.

An Amnesty International St Andrews spokesman said: “In times of a global climate emergency all institutions, including those of higher education, the need to adopt necessary measures to avert environmental collapse.”

He said Kenly wind farm would make the university “virtually the most sustainable institution in the UK, if not Europe”, setting a precedent for others to follow.

He said: “Our aim now is to make Kenly a nationwide issue and steer public opinion towards this worthy cause in order to force a reaction from the MoD.”

St Andrews University won planning permission in 2013 for the project.

Current planning permission, which has a condition that turbines do not interfere with radar systems at the former RAF station, is due to lapse this month.

The university has applied for its renewal, saying the scheme was central to its response to the climate crisis.

Quaestor and factor Derek Watson said: “The university has set a goal to become carbon neutral for our energy use and the award-winning biomass plant at Eden Campus and Kenly are essential elements in achieving that aim.”

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: “The university is required to ensure the wind farm does not interfere with the air traffic control radar at Leuchars Station and we stand ready to engage on any future proposals.”

A petition by Amnesty International St Andrews has been signed more than 1,100 times.

“The university has set a goal to become carbon neutral for our energy use. DEREK WATSON

Picture: Steve Brown. From left: Lea Weiman, Kayleigh Dearstwyne-Hulin, Long Tran, Catherine Bentley, Adam Polanek, Jessey Reid, Monica Gregory, Kristina Kumpf and Kaitlin Ridway from Amnesty St Andrews show their support for Kenly wind farm.