A controversial wind farm proposal has provoked a prominent QC into accusing Scottish ministers of running roughshod over the law.
Ministers have refused to halt a public inquiry into the 34-turbine Glenmorie wind farm in Easter Ross, despite the developer not having a licence to generate electricity.
Last month a judge in Edinburgh’s Court of Session ruled a separate wind farm plan for Shetland was unlawful for the same reason.
Ministers are contesting the judge’s decision, prompting anger that the Glenmorie public inquiry is set to go ahead while the Shetland case remains unresolved.
John Campbell QC, who represents a body campaigning against the Glenmorie wind farm, said the public inquiry, starting tomorrow, was unlawful and a waste of public money. In a submission to the inquiry, he claims Scottish ministers have been “dismissive” of the judge’s ruling.
Campbell adds “The Scottish Ministers have given no valid reason for refusing to notice and comply with the order, save by setting out a suite of pseudo-reasons which appear to suit their policy preferences and their political aspirations. None of these even attempt to show that they are relevant to the legal requirements for being excused from obedience to a judge’s order.
John Edmondson spokesman for Save our Straths, a body opposing the Glenmorie Windfarm, said “even the least skeptical of observers should be concerned about how Scottish Government is insisting that the Glenmorie Public Local Inquiry should proceed in such blatant defiance of the law.” Dr Calvert Stinton, an expert witness due to give evidence at the Glenmorie Inquiry withdrew last week, stating “I am now not going to give evidence, although my objections still remain the same, on the grounds that it would be unethical, inappropriate and professionally improper for me to be involved in an Inquiry which I know, or reasonably believe to be, not in accordance with the law”.
A Scottish Government spokesman said “the Glenmorie PLI will begin as scheduled and parties will have a chance to make their case to the Reporter”.
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