Prevailing winds

I WAS elated to read your headline, “Wind-farm refusal set to cost Tory landowner £8 million” (Your report, 21 April).

The German energy company RWE Innology wants to erect 15 turbines at Ardchonnel on the 3,500-acre estate in Argyll owned by Sir Jamie McGrigor, a Conservative MSP, but the Argyll and Bute planning department is recommending refusal.

This is just another example of the rich landowner getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

It is estimated that the energy company would probably receive over £90 million in subsidies which, of course, electricity users and taxpayers fund.

I am elated at the refusal but deflated by the reality. A planning refusal will see the wind turbine developers appeal. The local authorities’ planners, councillors, local opinion and environmental bodies will be crushed by the Scottish Government via the (independent) planning reporter, which, in 99 cases out of 100, allows the developers’ appeals.

The unstoppable march of the Tripods continues.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow, West Lothian