Tories vow to halt the ‘march of wind farms’

THEScottish Conservatives have vowed to halt the march of the turbines after unveiling a package of policies to curb the expansion of wind power.

The party’s new pledges would slash subisidies to power companies, allow local councils to block all developments in their area for a year and compensate people whose properties fell in value due to turbines.

As revealed in yesterday’s Herald, turbines would also not be permitted within two kilometres of a dwelling under the new plans.

The measures were set out in an energy policy paper, called Power With Responsibility, unveiled by leader Ruth Davidson and senior colleagues at the Falkirk Wheel.

The Conservatives promised a “zoning exercise” to prevent too many wind farms in any one area and called on the Government to order an independent study into the health impact of turbines.

While promising to slow the dash for onshore wind power, they promised to increase support for other renewables.

They also backed extending the life of Scotland’s nuclear power plants, Hunterston B, in Ayrshire, and Torness, in East Lothian, and threw their weight behind further exploration of shale gas and coal bed methane – resources exploited by controversial “fracking” measures.

The energy review follows growing disquiet about the impact of wind farms. In some of the areas, including Dumfries and Galloway and Perthshire, there is intense political rivalry between the Tories and SNP.

ItwasdrawnupbyMEPStruan Stevenson and MSPs Murdo Fraser and Mary Scanlon. Mr Stevenson said: “The march of the wind farms under Alex Salmond and the SNP has to be brought to a halt.”