We hear a giant wind farm in the Firth of Forth is going to power Scottish homes twice over. As even the RSPB could not stop a previous wind farm in the Firth of Forth, I suspect it will go ahead.
There are many more offshore turbines. So why do we need to despoil the Pentland Hills with 500ft turbines (News, 28 September)? How can that size of turbine accord with the Local Plan?
I have been researching for an objection to the Cloich Forest wind farm application between Penicuik and Peebles with the same sized turbines. I can put some facts to back up Geraldine Hamilton’s comments on her fears about visitors. The last year before the pandemic, 2019, Edinburgh and the Lothians was the most popular Scottish region to visit for both domestic and international travellers. It accounted for 31 per cent of all overnight visits and 34 per cent of the total overnight tourism expenditure.
A government study in 2012 said between 18 and 32 per cent of visitors think wind farms have a negative effect on landscape dependent on the view.
Compare Edinburgh and the Lothians to Dumfries and Galloway. The latter has 490 turbines. In 2019 visits increased nationally by 17 per cent and decreased seven per cent in Dumfries and Galloway – a difference of 24 per cent. The spend increased nationally by 16 per cent and decreased in Dumfries and Galloway by 13 per cent – a difference of 29 per cent. International visitors decreased nationally by seven per cent in 2019 with no explanation. Foreign visitors can choose to holiday in other countries free of turbines. Perhaps they were doing just that. A case to answer?
How are we to pay for green policies if we ruin our tourism industry?
Celia Hobbs, Penicuik, Midlothian
Tilting at windmills
I hope that the Government will focus on developments in Scotland that a normal devolved administration should do, but that the obstructive current Scottish administration does not. These should include the excellent news that at least 16 nuclear power plants created by Rolls Royce will be created across the north of England and the Midlands. I hope that pressure can be brought to bear on Kwazi Kwarteng (and, indeed, Boris Johnson) before Cop26 to ensure that Scotland also benefits from this development.
It is high time that the endless, destructive and pointless wind turbine developments that blight the Scottish landscape and seascapes were brought to an end. We have far better uses for our money than windmills.
Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh
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