Wind decision shows disdain
Sir, — It was with dismay that I read of the Scottish Government decision this week to approve the Strathrory wind farm near Alness, and in doing so overturn the Highland Council decision not to approve it (Press and Journal, January 27).
This is a disgraceful act by the Scottish Government on two counts, for it undermines a fundamental tenet of local government, and is a shocking display of arrogance and disdain towards the people of the Highlands. This is yet another example of the Scottish Government riding roughshod over the Highland Council and the wishes of many people in Caithness and Sutherland.
This action by the Scottish Government proves that its draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement — which includes the following statement: “the Scottish Government’s view that onshore wind development should be compatible with the interests and protection of Scotland’s environment and residents” — is not worth the paper it is written on.
One only has to look at the wind farm map of the Highlands to see that there is a massive concentration of wind farms in the Sutherland and Caithness area. Yet those responsible in the Scottish Government continue to be blind to this and seem to have no strategic overview.
What makes this decision especially difficult to understand is that the UK is already unable to use all of the wind energy it produces and is having to make constraint payments to the energy companies when they are NOT generating power. For the Highland area alone, this figure already exceeds £262 million — which the public pay through taxes and their energy bills.
By this action, the Scottish Government, rather than easing the financial burden on hard-pressed families, have caused this burden to increase.
Graham Bruce, Culrain, Sutherland.
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