turbines

Energy minister Fergus Ewing continues to deny the impact of excessive numbers of wind turbines on tourism. While attempting to defend the indefensible he points to increased hotel occupancy without mentioning that recent national events would have encouraged visitors to come to Scotland.

The reality is some potential tourists, including photographers, hill walkers and mountaineers, know what is coming and suggest people come and see what is left of our iconic landscapes before they are destroyed with yet more turbines.

The evidence is on blogs, websites, Facebook pages and Twitter and social media speaks to the masses.

The truth is inescapable. Most people visit Scotland for the natural landscapes not obscene levels of wind-related industrialisation.

The energy minister says that the Scottish Government recently commissioned and published a report on tourism that confirmed the robust nature of previous research like the seven-year-old Moffat report. I have been unable to find anything more recent than 2012.

A lot has happened in three years – including the unstoppable tsunami of turbine proposals so this research is already woefully out of date.

Before repeating skewed poll results as some sort of desperate approval for the reckless proliferation of turbines Mr Ewing has presided over and encouraged, he should commission some polls in areas where communities are battle weary fighting the ruthless multinationals he unconditionally supports and where the numbers of objectors regularly dwarf the few lonely supporters.

His rosy picture of approval for wind development would soon be shattered and the reality exposed to the electorate.

Lyndsey Ward

Beauly

Inverness