THE DEMAND
Scottishpower Renewables last week sent its final submission to the inquiry into the proposed Clauchrie wind farm.
The report by law firm Shepherd & Wedderburn includes several sections raising concerns about the airport’s demands. It says: “A wind farm-tolerant radar – the Scanter – will be brought into service this summer. Then, any clutter from wind farms that presents on radar screens will be removed. That is the purpose of the Scanter and that is the reason wind farm developers have paid Prestwick millions to fully fund the cost of installing the new radar system.”
The report gives a withering assessment of the airport’s insistence that unspecified amounts should be paid by SPR each year for 25 years: “We have no hesitation in submitting Prestwick’s position is unlawful. The point is that Prestwick believes it should be entitled to charge what it considers appropriate and to do so in private with no external scrutiny whatsoever. That is clearly an unreasonable approach.”
The report goes on: “The suggestion that an unspecified Department for Transport policy allows Prestwick to charge the applicants unspecified sums to cover unspecified risks at an unspecified date should patently be given no credence.”
It adds: “(The airport is) unwilling to disclose the amount of money it seeks from the applicants in relation to the proposal. In the absence of that disclosure and any clarity from Prestwick, it is impossible to conclude that such payments would be reasonable never mind lawful.”
The report concludes: “For the reasons set out above, we submit that Prestwick’s approach is unlawful.”