By Ron Harris
In the midst of his battle to retain his seat, Clydesdale’s Conservative MP
David Mundell has expressed fury at a plan to build 140 giant wind turbines
in the Lowther Valley.
Ironically, the man who was famously “Scotland’s lone Tory” in the last
parliament had made the blocking of any further windpower developments in
his constituency a major plank of his campaign.
With timing that could hardly have been worse for him, Buccleuch and 2020
Renewables, a prominent windfarm developer, announced last Wednesday they
are “examining the potential for a significant windfarm in the Lowther
Hills” and have already started the charm offensive to ‘sell’ the project
to residents, many of whom claim their area already has too many turbines.
A spokesman for the developer revealed that behind-the-scenes talks over
creating the windfarm near to Leadhills and Wanlockhead had already been
going on with the Scottish Government and other interested parties.
The developers are pledging thousands of pounds in funding for local
projects through the ‘compensation’ payments scheme for those who live near
windfarms.
In addition, they say between 300 to 400 jobs will be created building the
windfarm and around 30 permanent jobs serving it thereafter.
Alan Baker, managing director of 2020 Renewables, said: “It is apparent
that the site has tremendous potential to deliver economic and
environmental benefit on a very significant scale.
“When a windfarm is being considered on this scale it is normal practice to
sound out the Scottish Government and other statutory consultees early in
the process before embarking on a stakeholder engagement programme.
Community engagement is of paramount importance .”
None of this impressed David Mundell, who said: “Enough is enough. This
area has taken more than its fair share of windfarm development. We have
reached saturation point. Local people are under relentless attack from
windfarm developers. No sooner had the nearby Leadhills windfarm
application been refused after strong opposition from the local community
than this proposal is brought forward.”
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