THE National Trust for Scotland, the Association for the Protection of
Rural Scotland, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the Munro Society,
Ramblers Scotland and the Scottish Wild Land Group who signed yesterday’s
letter condemning the Scottish Government’s abuse of the planning system to
promote wind development are spot on (“Rural alliance in scathing attack on
windfarm policy”, The Herald, February 9).
But they are not the only non-governmental organisations deeply concerned
at the lasting damage the SNP’s overriding target for unlimited wind energy
is wreaking on the Scottish environment. Both the John Muir Trust and RSPB
feel the same; each is engaged in exemplary legal proceedings against
Scottish Ministers for their careless approval of colossal onshore and
offshore wind farms. Beyond them are hundreds of environmental or landscape
groups which have formed over the last few years to fight predatory
applications for giant turbines in their local areas.
Then there are the local authorities, and hundreds of community councils
the length and breadth of rural Scotland who for years now have vainly
rejected specific wind farm applications and begged for moratoria on new
applications.
What’s happened? Nothing. The turbine juggernaut has just rolled on,
flattening everything in its path.
Scottish ministers have variously “listened”. They have tried denial,
prevarication, procrastination, before pretending their hands are tied. As
the recently announced moratorium on fracking showed, this is not true.
Behind all this lies the most cynical calculation by SNP strategists. They
reckon promoting the myth of Scotland as a green utopia will garner more
votes than it will cost them.
I am sure there is not a senior official or minister concerned with wind
policy in the Scottish Government who has not realised that wind energy is
expensive, destructive, inefficient and loathed and who is not dismayed to
see these negatives increasing, not diminishing, with every turbine that is
approved or built.
There is no chance the SNP will admit they were wrong on wind, so
demonising fracking is a useful distraction. Ultimately it will be able to
save face by crying foul when Westminster cuts wind subsidy and stymies the
Scottish renewables industry – as the Conservatives have promised to do if
they win the next election, and as any UK Government must do if it is to
keep the lights on.
Or is it naive to believe that a nationalist movement can succeed without
resorting to political gangsterism and trashing the very land and values it
stands for?
Linda Holt,
Dreel House, Pittenweem.
WHAT a wonderful Steven Camley cartoon illustrating beautifully the
proliferation of wind farms foisted upon the inhabitants and scenery of
Scotland (The Herald, February 9). [see attached – G]
Thank goodness at long last, as your front -age headline informed, the
various land and heritage bodies seem to be wakening up to the
ever-increasing march of windfarms set inappropriately within our wild and
natural landscapes.
The life and achievements of John Muir were recently celebrated in 2014 and
I would imagine this great innovator of national parks and protector of
nature would be spinning in his grave were he to see the scale and enormity
of developments on his beloved wilderness areas over the past few years.
Time now for a moratorium on these developments, to draw breath, and to
work out ways to ensure that no more industrial damage is impacted on our
wild, natural, vulnerable environment.
Neil MacGregor
74 Douglas Park Crescent, Bearsden.
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