By John Robertson
Campaigners were celebrating last night after the controversial Brown Muir
windfarm plans were rejected by councillors.
But SNP members of the local authority were facing a backlash from
protesters amid accusations they put their party before the people by
voting to back the scheme.
The 12-turbine project tabled by Vento Ludens for a site between Elgin and
Rothes attracted more than 1,300 objections.
By contrast, Moray Council received just 20 submissions supporting the
proposed development.
The local authority’s planning and regulatory services committee blocked
the application yesterday on the casting vote of chairman Chris Tuke.
But anti-windfarm campaigners claimed the six Nationalist councillors on
the committee voted as a block to support the scheme.
Council officers had recommended the project be rejected, primarily on the
grounds of visual impact on the landscape.
Speyside Glenlivet SNP councillor Pearl Paul disagreed with planning
officials about the impact the proposal would have on the environment and
moved approval of the application.
Her Nationalist colleague and fellow ward member Mike McConachie seconded
the motion.
Councillor Paul said: “When Brown Muir became a landmark hill, I don’t know.
“There’s very few people in the area know it is called ‘Brown Muir hill’.
It was just a bump in the landscape and it suddenly became a landmark hill
when it was decided to put windfarms on it.
Forres Independent councillor George Alexander told the committee that
“there needs to be a time when we have to protect some of the areas in Moray”.
He added: “Maybe Brown Muir is a step too far.”
The council’s Conservative convener, Heldon and Laich member Allan Wright,
tabled an amendment to refuse planning permission, which was seconded by
his fellow ward member and Independent Councillor Tuke.
The vote was tied at 6-6 in the absence of 13th committee member Douglas
Ross, and Mr Tuke used his casting vote as chairman to accept the officers’
recommendation and reject the application.
SNP councillors Margo Howe, George McDonald, Aaron McLean and Sonya Warren
voted in support of Mrs Paul and Mr McConachie’s motion to approve.
Mr Alexander, fellow Independents John Cowe and Gordon Cowie, and Labour
member John Divers voted in support of Councillor Wright and Mr Tuke’s
amendment to refuse.
But after the meeting furious Inchberry resident Bob Graham criticised the
Nationalist councillors.
He said: “I have been fighting windfarms for 20 years, and I am so
disappointed the SNP arrived here with the intention of block-voting to
support the SNP government’s policy on renewable energy, despite 1,300
local people objecting.
“We have trashed most of Moray onshore – visual impact is a done deal. Now
they are going to put 300-plus turbines in the Moray Firth to trash our
seascapes as well.
“How these SNP philistines could have no regard for the beauty of this
country and its landscape is an absolute tragedy.”
And long-term Brown Muir opponent Derek Ross said: “It is absolutely
disgraceful that the SNP care nothing for public opinion.
“We are very relieved that the other councillors recognised the feeling of
the people of Moray, but it is criminal what the SNP have done.
But Mrs Paul dismissed the claims as “nonsense”.
She said: “Every councillor presses a button, and as far as we are
concerned we never, ever have had any whip on planning.
“It is entirely up to the individuals. We made our decision on what we
thought ourselves.
“If we did vote the same, we just happened to do it. It’s as simple as that.
“There was nothing prearranged, but if you put it that way, then the other
six voted in block as well.”
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