Letters: Scots would reject onshore wind turbines if given choice

A Scotsman reader argues many Scots would reject onshore wind turbines if given any choice by the Scottish Government.

It makes me so angry when I read that yet another “poll” shows support for more onshore wind and the ­ludicrous over-reactions by the trade associations as they feel more consumer support for their paying members is within their grasp.

They proclaim that onshore wind is cheap. Who for? Our bills are going up, not down. If the costs of onshore wind are reducing, it can only mean there are bigger profits for the energy companies to suck up as we are seeing no rebates.

It really is all unbridled claptrap.

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Wind farms have long proved controversial in ScotlandWind farms have long proved controversial in Scotland
Wind farms have long proved controversial in Scotland

Having fought against onshore wind development being forced on unwilling communities for many years, support is not what I hear when I speak to rural citizens facing yet another wealthy multinational determined to spear industrial hardware into their environment.

I have had people call me weeping and distressed at the prospect of yet another fight for them and their ­neighbours. Maybe they have successfully fought off one developer only to be facing another and ­perhaps several other companies are waiting in the wings to pounce.

Each battle can take several years as even if the local authorities object, the developers routinely ignore the wishes of those who live in their targeted area and appeal to ministers. They have no concern for local ­opinion whatsoever.

Without the community veto, the Scottish Government is treating us like ­second-class citizens. If it is good enough for English communities why not us? I’ll tell you why not.

It is because the Scottish Government knows full well there would no more onshore wind development in Scotland because communities, when they are polled, will furiously reject by a huge majority, monstrous turbines, the ­necessary pylon lines and substations being built where they live.

Wind development is being steamrollered on to them under the pretence that it will help change what the climate does. 
Those of us who have bothered to research have found there is about as much chance of that happening as this Scottish ­Government putting rural communities before their pals in the wind industry.

Lyndsey Ward, Beauly