Save our slopes from wind farms scourge, urge mountaineers
The Scottish Government is keen to pursue wind farm projects like these. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
SCOTLAND’S mountain landscape is in danger of being sacrificed in favour of energy developments, climbers have claimed.
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) said there was an urgent need to change the UK government’s renewable energy policy and Scottish ministers’ planning policy, which it says favours large-scale land-based wind-farm developments.
The council, which has 11,000 members, called for action ahead of Highland Council considering an application for the 31-turbine Allt Duine wind farm on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park on Tuesday.
RWE-npower Renewables wants to build the wind farm near Kincraig, 440 yards from the park’s western boundary.
An online petition against the development has gained hundreds of signatures while 23 objections have been sent to the council and another 105 to the Scottish Government, with 24 in support.
Council officials are recommending that councillors raise no objection to the development, which will be determined by ministers.
A report to the meeting says that within 60km of the Allt Duine site are six operational wind farms with 136 turbines, another five developments (67 turbines) approved or under construction, and nine (196 turbines) yet to be determined.
MCofS president Brian Linington said: “Whilst the final decision on Allt Duine ultimately rests with Scottish ministers, any decision other than rejection of the proposals by the Highland Council will send a clear signal that there is no local opposition to further and extensive wind-farm developments in the Monadhliath Mountains.
“We call on the Scottish Government to recognise the value of our upland landscape and revise its policy of wholesale planning approval for large-scale wind-farm developments in the mountains, or be recognised by both the Scottish people and internationally as the decision-makers responsible for permanently scarring Scotland’s wonderful mountain landscapes.”
Mr Linington said he believes Scotland’s renewables targets can be achieved without extensive development of mountain areas. “[Scotland’s mountains] are an asset for the tourism industry with its vital importance to the rural economy, sustainably supporting thousands of local jobs in the Highlands, in comparison to the transient job-creation schemes represented by wind farm developments.
“The mountains benefit the majority, rather than the minority who benefit disproportionately from the profits and subsidies made by and to the multinational wind power generation industry and landowners.”
The Save Monadhliath Mountains campaign has also called for a public inquiry to examine the plan.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Scotland has huge renewables potential that can create jobs and opportunities and we are committed to ensuring that communities can benefit from Scotland’s vast natural resources. Developing our huge renewables potential will save consumers money in the long term, relative to a continued reliance on fossil fuels.”
He said the government would only approve the right wind farm applications in the right places and those applications that did not meet the strict criteria were rejected.
An RWE spokeswoman said of the Allt Duine plan: “This is a well-designed proposal within an area selected by Highland Council, which will bring significant local economic benefits.”
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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Comments
There are 16 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
norfolkboy14
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 05:46 PMWe need to get the Government onside, as well as local councils and others, if we are going to stop these monstrosities being built. Are you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please register your objection by googling "wind petition norfolk". Could all of you who have signed the local petion please sign this national one too. Many thanks.
Cynicus in Exile
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:43 PM"If a westminster government was imposing thse things on us to meet the UK renewables targets the SNP would be up in arms. "#-6, tested __________________________________________________________ But they are. What the SNP is doing is to facilitate the transfer of subsidy from the poor to the rich. But, since most of the poor are English and most of the rich operate in Scotland then that's alright by the NATS,
celticbeekeeper
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:37 PMOnce upon a time windmills made of wood, with sails, dotted much of Europe. When a better form of energy was found people could at least burn them down or convert them into houses. We know the new windmills are a farce, but you can't burn the concrete and nor are they suitable to convert into useful buildings. There is a future without these monstrosities! So what will the cost be to remove them? The term "wind-farm" is a means to obscure the obsolescence of harvesting wind energy by using wind-mills - of ancient or modern design.
celticbeekeeper
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:03 PMWind farms are energy inefficient - high cost of development, high maintenance, and not as reliable as other methods of electricity production. They are very likely to be outdated by power technologies known about but not yet developed to usefulness. What happens to these monstrosities that blot the environment when they are no longer useful? Who will pay for their removal? Simple, the citizens who have been already fleeced by the power-companies and the duped councillors and politicans. Meanwhile people will have these obscene rubbish towers of concrete and metal in places of beauty. Why not harvest the kinetic energy of vehicles travelling on motorways & roads around the large cities (e.g.London)? This is more reliable than wind and closer to where the electricity is used.
Ron Greer
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 07:58 PMThe tragedy of all this is the uselessness of windfarms in producing predictable, dependable electricity in worthwhile amounts. The SNP government know this and thus to tragedy we have shame.
Black Grouse
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 05:59 PM"... government would only approve the right wind farm applications in the right places"? Pause for hysterical laughter. Just one example: the Drone Hill wind farm was unanimously refused locally, following a planning officer's advice and that of official consultees. So what happens? Rammed through at appeal by one of the Government's tame Reporters. Could give a long list of similar decisions.
CMW
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 05:47 PMThe systematic vandalism of Scotland's finest scenery by these white elephants is a national disgrace, and utter insanity of the highest order.
nabodican
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 03:58 PM#7&8 - I doubt if anyone cares what you say.
samcoldstream
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 01:36 PMAs I was saying.................
samcoldstream
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 01:36 PMAs I was saying.................
tested
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 12:06 PMIf a westminster government was imposing thse things on us to meet the UK renewables targets the SNP would be up in arms. But here we see Scotland's government imposing them on us so that the UK can meet its renewables targets. The SNP are not concerned about future UK subsidies for renewables (windmills) in Scotland nor are they concerned about actually marketing the stuff. Smells like a done deal with westminster.
Hibby
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:49 AMThe Scottish Government spokesman's comments ( he or she remains anonymous as usual) are an affront to our intelligence. They contain nothing but rhetoric and make no attempt to address the objections to these useless monstrosities. The man in the street can be forgiven for being conned into believing that wind farms will somehow deliver us a secure and sustainable supply of green energy because we are all being cynically and systematically lied to by those vested interests who stand to earn vast sums of money at the expense of our precious landscape. Because it is so unreliable, wind energy can never form a significant part of our 'Base load capacity' and for the same reason it cannot be relied on for 'Load following capacity' so it must always be backed up by energy from the same sources as it is supposed to replace. It simply cannot work and the politicians should know that, but they as usual are driven by short term political gain which in this instance is 'Green' brownie points.They are too scared to be labelled 'Anti-green' which is what the industry stooges are trotted out to say when anyone points out the madness and futility of this apology for an energy policy. After the landowners and energy companies have made their millions from the subsidies which each of us pays in our bills, and the landscape has been laid waste, people are going to look back on this and wonder just how this madness was allowed to happen because by then it will be realised that it was just a massive deception.
nabodican
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 10:13 AM#1 samcoldstream - why don't you do us all and Scotland a favour by taking a walk along someplace like the Aonach Eagach and fall off.
norfolkboy14
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 09:26 AMAre you disillusioned by rising electricity prices, over dependence on the "green" dream [especially uneconomical and inefficient wind farms] and the destruction of our countryside then please register your objection by googling "22958 Norfolk". Please also get your friends involved.
tested
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 09:05 AM#1 Yes and crimes including murder are not uncommon so why bother complaining.
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