If a foreigner were to look at a map of wind farms and current windfarm
applications in the UK I think they would assume a helpless Scotland had
had them all dumped on their glorious landscape by a Westminster
Government. I think they would find it inexplicable that a Scottish
Nationalist Government had driven this policy. Even more inexplicable is
that a once proudly democratic nation does not have the same rights as
people in England in this regard. Vattenfall’s managing director of
onshore wind, Frank Elsworth, was quoted this week as saying,
Scotland is seen as having an “open door policy” and the kind of stable
environment in terms of policy that encourages firms to develop windfarms
in the country.
“England has primarily pushed everything offshore,” noted Mr Elsworth,
adding: “It has introduced policy which is quite a barrier to development:
The requirement for demonstrable local support of over fifty per cent and
demonstrating that your windfarms are captured in local development plans,
they’re quite significant hurdles.”
Shouldn’t locals in Scotland have the same rights? Shouldn’t legally
binding Local Plans which take years and consultations to prepare be
adhered to? Why should local councils have to pay, out of our Council Tax,
for Public Inquiries to uphold our Local Plans? A single unelected
Government Reporter with Ministers’ approval with an “open door policy”
decides these Inquiries. The wind industry has taken advantage of lockdown
and is pushing ahead with expansion while there can be no proper public
consultation or live Public Inquiries. Does rural Scotland have anyone to
speak for them?
Wake up Scotland. This is your country.
Celia Hobbs
Peebles Road
Penicuik
Midlothian
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