By Andrew Keddie
Councillors of all party political hues and none have combined to send a
clear signal to the Scottish Government that this region is at saturation
point when it comes to “inappropriate” wind farms.
Even the SNP group, whose government at Holyrood has set a target of
generating 100% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020,
joined the clamour for local decision-making on wind farm planning
applications to be binding.
The call came at last week’s SBC meeting when Conservative councillor Keith
Cockburn (Tweeddale West) proposed a motion demanding that council leader
David Parker writes to the Scottish Government to express concern over the
sustainability of the targets and the impact on the Borders countryside of
the current policy.
In an impassioned speech, Councillor Cockburn claimed the Holyrood
government had allowed the number of wind farms in the Borders to get out
of control.
“We need a more balanced approach,” he asserted.
He explained that, in April this year, there were 306 wind turbines in the
region, with a further 10 under construction and with another 41 having
received planning approval. He claimed the parliamentary constituency of
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale had more wind turbines that any
other in the UK.
“Despite consuming less than 10% of the UK’s energy, and having 10% of the
population, Scotland hosts more than 50% of the UK’s onshore wind
turbines,” said Mr Cockburn..
“As of April 2014 there were 2,315 operating turbines north of the border,
from a total of 4,350 in the whole UK, with another 405 turbines under
construction. These figures do not even take into account wind farms which
are making their way through the planning process.
“This has caused five million trees to be cut down to make way for turbines
across Scotland. These statistics contradict comments from the SNP Scottish
Government that it is ready to cool its obsession with onshore wind energy.”
Mr Cockburn said the Holyrood renewable energy targets were “challenging
and optimistic”.
“Groups such as the Scientific Alliance Scotland are raising doubts over
the long term sustainability and viability of the use of wind farm schemes.
These groups argue that not only is the efficiency of wind generated
electricity debatable, but that it is also ruinously expensive.
“They say that turbines have well documented problems of intermittency,
mechanical frailty, and have a short service life, suggesting that wind
turbines will have gone in 20 to 30 years.
“Building and operating these machines is wholly dependent on a high level
of public subsidy, while our roads and infrastructure are not built for
carrying the exceptional loads.
“Survey results are warning us that badly sited wind farms are a serious
threat to Scotland’s reputation as a tourism destination. Natural heritage
tourism is worth £1.6 billion to the Scottish economy.
“I can understand why landowners like the financial packages they are given
to allow wind farms on their land, but our public think we have had enough
wind farms. We should listen to our electorate.
“I think the majority on this council agree that we have had more than our
fair share of wind farm schemes here in the Borders. I believe that we have
moved passed the point of balance.”
Mr Cockburn claimed that the Scottish Government had overturned a third of
wind farm proposals refused by local councils.
“I know some of you may not feel that this motion sets well with your
politics, but I say to you, whatever your politics you are a Borderer first
and foremost, elected here by other Borderers.”
Mr Cockburn’s comments brooked no dissent, although, on the insistence of
the SNP/Independent/Lib Dem ruling administration at Newtown, his motion
was amended thus:
“The council instructs the leader to write to the Scottish Government
expressing concern over the conflict between the sustainability of energy
targets and their impact on landscapes in the Borders, being mindful of the
present impact of turbines in his area…the council reaffirms that Scottish
Borders planning policy is the best mechanism for balancing protection with
appropriate developments.”
SBC’s planning committee is responsible for determining applications for
wind farms which generate less than 50MW. Bigger developments are decided
by Scottish ministers with the council treated merely as a “statutory
consultee”.
On Monday, the committee, in that latter role, unanimously agreed to object
to plans for 18 giant turbines at Cloich Forest, about a mile west of
Eddleston in Mr Cockburn’s ward.
Members felt the proposal would breach the current local development plan
(LDP) by causing unacceptable harm to the landscape and the visual amenity
of residents.
A new LDP, with a more proscriptive interpretation of what constitutes an
“appropriate” wind farm location, is due to be considered by councillors
later this month after a 12-week public consultation period.
Not surprisingly, that document has already attracted opposition from
renewable energy firms who feel it is over-restrictive.
Their comments and other responses to the new LDP will be considered by SBC
on June 26.
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