It’s not a ill wind

It’s worth noting that the Mount Lothian site lies outside local, regional and national landscape designations.

Furthermore, Ms Hobbs’ view is highly subjective. Giving evidence in support of a wind turbine proposal inside an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the South Downs, Sir David Attenborough said:  “A wind turbine, with its graceful lines, collecting energy from the environment without causing any material damage, is a marvellous demonstration of the way we can minimise our pollution of the atmosphere if we wish to do so.”

Ms Hobbs claims public relations are being used to somehow “trick” the local community into backing the Mount Lothian proposal. On the contrary, our commitment to this project is based on the conviction that the benefits are meaningful and substantial.

These benefits include reducing our reliance for electricity on increasingly costly and often imported fossil fuels.

They include a community benefit fund worth £1.2 million over the wind farm’s 25-year lifetime, if the project goes ahead, as well as local opportunities for investment, skills development and jobs.

Above all, by reducing carbon emissions produced from electricity generation, renewable energy proposals such as Mount Lothian will help protect our natural environment from the increasingly dramatic impact of climate change – something I would have thought the Penicuik Environment Protection Association would actively welcome.

Karen Thorburn

Wind Prospect  Developments

Rutland Street

Edinburgh